Despite political strains, Hilsa rekindles palates without any pocket pinch

'STRICTER FISHING MEASURES PAY DIVIDENDS'

- SOUMITRA NANDI

KOLKATA: Hilsa, or "ilish"—the iconic "king of fish" in Bengali culture, celebrated for its culinary appeal, cultural rituals and even diplomatic symbolism—has made a notable return to Kolkata markets.

This surge comes despite strained India-Bangladesh ties, including asylum issues involving Hasina and the Teesta water-sharing dispute, which have prevented formal imports from Bangladesh so far.

Good-quality Hilsa, ranging from 500 gm to specimens over 2 kg, is now widely available across wholesale hubs like Howrah and retail markets such as Gariahat and Lake Market.

Prices currently hover between Rs 600 to Rs 800/kg for 500gm to 750 gm fish, Rs 900 to Rs 1,400 for up to 1 kg, and above Rs 1,400 for specimens exceeding 1 kg.