HILSA FISH TO BE EXPORTED FROM BANGLADESH TO INDIA

HILSA FISH TO BE EXPORTED FROM BANGLADESH TO INDIA

Context:

On the occasion of the Durga Puja, the Bangladesh government has permitted 52 trading organisations to export Hilsa fish to India.

Permitted Guidelines:

• The Ministry of Commerce in a circular issued, allowed each organisation to export a maximum of 40 tonnes of Hilsa to India. The permission will remain effective till October 10.

Significance of Hilsa fish during Durga puja:

• The demand for the fish during Durga Puja is extremely high in states like West Bengal as the quality of ‘Padmar Ilish’ or Hilsa fish from the Padma river in Bangladesh is considered of superior quality.
• Bangladesh produces almost 75% of the world’s Hilsa output.

Hilsa fish:

• The ilish, also known as the ilisha, hilsa, hilsa herring or hilsa shad, is a national fish of Bangladesh. The most famous hilsa fish is from the Chandpur District of Bangladesh.
• It is a species of fish related to the herring, in the family Clupeidae.
• It is a very popular food fish in the Indian Subcontinent.

Last year’s export:

• Last year, Bangladesh exported more than 1450 MT of Hilsa to India while the quantity of export was 500 MT in 2019.
• The Government of Bangladesh has been giving special permission for the export of Hilsa to India for the last few years as a token of friendship, though the export of Hilsa was banned in the country in 2012.