18 Firms Seek Permission to Export Hilsa to India

Ahead of Durga Puja, 18 Bangladeshi firms have applied for permission to export hilsa fish to India. At the same time, India’s Fish Importers Association has requested permission to import hilsa from Bangladesh. The Ministry of Commerce has sought the opinion of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in deciding whether to grant export permission, according to ministry sources.

After receiving the exporters’ applications, the Commerce Ministry wrote to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock last Wednesday seeking its assessment of domestic hilsa supply and demand. The decision on whether to allow exports to India will be based on that ministry’s opinion. Last year, the government had permitted the export of 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to India, but only 150 tonnes were actually exported in the end. This time, Bangladeshi exporters are seeking permission for a longer duration rather than the short window granted in previous years. Their demand is for at least two months, and if possible, year-round export opportunity. Their argument is that completing letter of credit (LC) processing, hilsa procurement, processing, and packaging within just 20 to 25 days is difficult.

18 Firms Interested in Exporting Hilsa
Among the firms seeking hilsa export permission this year are: Khulna’s Biswas Enterprise; Chattogram’s JS Enterprise and Anraj Fish Products; Jashore’s Lucky Enterprise, MUC Foods, Mohtab & Sons, and Janata Fish; Dhaka’s Vigilant Express, Swarnali Enterprise, Majestic Enterprise, and BDS Corporation; Barishal’s Mahima Enterprise, AR Enterprise, and Tanisha Enterprise; Bhola’s Rafid Enterprise; and Satkhira’s M A Enterprise and Suman Traders.

Meanwhile, India’s Fish Importers Association has requested permission to import hilsa from Bangladesh. The organization recently sent separate letters to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Commerce making this request, asking that export permission be granted by mid-September. Their letter noted that Bangladesh had exported an average of about 5,000 tonnes of hilsa to India annually since 1996. Exports were later halted, but resumed in September 2019 under special, time-limited permission for Durga Puja.

According to Commerce Ministry sources, actual hilsa exports to India have consistently fallen short of the approved quota. After the long gap, 500 tonnes were approved for export in 2019, but only 450 tonnes were actually exported that year. In 2020, against an approved 1,850 tonnes, 1,750 tonnes were exported. In 2021, against 4,600 tonnes approved, only 1,200 tonnes were exported. In 2022, against 2,900 tonnes approved, 1,300 tonnes were exported, and in 2023, against 3,950 tonnes approved, 1,300 tonnes were exported. In 2024, 2,420 tonnes were approved for export, but only 577 tonnes actually reached India.