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Bengal traders throng Dhubri markets for �hilsa�

By Correspondent

DHUBRI, Oct 27 - With the price of hilsa fish dropping drastically in the fish markets of Dhubri district, the traders from neighbouring West Bengal are thronging the markets in great numbers.

The price of the �King of Fish� has hit all time low in the markets of the town as the hilsa that normally costs Rs 900 to 1,200 per kg has come down to Rs 300 to 350 per kg. In these rates, the hilsa is available especially in the fish markets of Dhubri, Gauripur, Golakganj and Bilasipara.

Interestingly, traders from the neighbouring State and from other parts of Assam can be seen every year during this period in the Dhubri markets for bulk purchase. �We have almost made it a part of our routine to visit Dhubri during this time of the year to buy hilsa because of the price drop,� said Pradip Sarkar, a trader from Coochbehar, who is in Dhubri for the purpose. �I am trying to buy hilsa as much as possible. As this fish is always in demand in West Bengal market,� he added.

Meanwhile, Biman Goswami, another trader from Guwahati, said, �This fish has great demand even in Guwahati. We have been trading hilsa from Dhubri for years, but in recent years its availability has become very good.�

However, according to local fish traders, such availability of the fish has not helped them much. Due to availability of hilsa during this time they have to sell them at a loss. �Although, the trade has increased but the business for the local traders has not been substantial,� said Kabil SK, a fish wholesaler of Dhubri town.

�We can not preserve hilsa for long. We have to sell it fast and the price is dropping daily in an alarming rate, because of which we need to sell the fish at a loss,� he added.

Explaining the reason behind such availability of hilsa in Dhubri, officials of the Fishery Department said that the Bangladesh govt prohibits fishing during this time of the year as this is the season for fish like hilsa to lay eggs. The hilsa fish always swims upstream to lay eggs and the parts of Brahmaputra river and its tributaries in Dhubri are in the upstream. So, the fish lay eggs here.

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