Kolkata fish prices have risen sharply before Durga Puja as lower catches in the Bay of Bengal, limited supplies from Gujarat and Odisha, and the absence of hilsa consignments from Bangladesh tighten the city’s market, raising concerns for households and restaurants.
The supply disruption is expected to affect traditional festive meals during the puja period. Several restaurants are considering increasing prices for selected fish dishes by around 10 per cent as the cost and availability of key varieties change.
Hilsa, one of the most sought-after fish during Durga Puja, is particularly difficult to source this year. With no reported supply from Bangladesh and lower local catches, Myanmar has become the main alternative for Kolkata’s importers. Fresh hilsa arriving by air is selling for between Rs 2,200 and Rs 2,500 per kg, while frozen hilsa is priced at about Rs 2,000 per kg.
Syed Anwar Maqsood, secretary of the Fish Importers Association, said traders had tried to source hilsa from Bangladesh but were unsuccessful. At present, consignments from Myanmar are arriving by air twice a week, according to the report.
Prices of other varieties have also increased. Large bhetki weighing more than four kg is selling for about Rs 800 per kg, while medium-sized fish is priced at around Rs 750 per kg. Smaller local varieties are selling for approximately Rs 700 per kg. Bhetki is widely used in restaurant dishes such as fish fingers and fish tandoori.
Tiger prawns, locally known as bagda, are now priced between Rs 800 and Rs 1,200 per kg depending on size. During last year’s Durga Puja, the reported range was Rs 700 to Rs 1,000 per kg. Pomfret weighing about 125 grams is selling for Rs 750 to Rs 800 per kg, while fish weighing between 150 and 200 grams is priced at around Rs 1,200 per kg. Supplies of large freshwater prawns, or golda, have also been affected.
Chayan Saha of Prince Restaurant on Free School Street said lower availability had pushed up prices across most varieties. He said options in the market were now limited apart from fish such as rohu, katla and pabda.
The National Restaurant Association of India said prices could rise further during the puja period as demand increases. The pressure is expected to be felt both by restaurants, which may need to revise menus, and by families purchasing fish for traditional meals.
Pabda is currently selling for between Rs 450 and Rs 600 per kg depending on size, making it a comparatively lower-priced option. With supplies of premium varieties constrained, Kolkata consumers may have to choose between changing their preferred fish, buying smaller quantities or paying more for festive meals.
