Fisheries ministry not involved in ilish export to India: Adviser Farida

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said that the decision to export ilish to India was made by the Ministry of Commerce.

“Ilish has not been sent yet. It is just a decision. Therefore, there is no reason for the price of ilish to increase in the domestic market,” she said in response to journalists’ questions after a meeting at the Secretariat on Sunday.

Farida Akhter added: “More than 500,000 tons of ilish have been produced in the country. The decision has been made to export 3,000 tons. It is still unclear how much will be exported.”

She also clarified that the export has no connection with Puja. “Traders from Kolkata have communicated with the Ministry of Commerce.”

“The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has no involvement in the ilish export to India. My stance remains the same - the people of our country must be served ilish first, and only then should we consider exports. However, if the price of the fish rises after the export, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will take action,” she added.

The Ministry of Commerce has granted approval for the export of 3,000 tons of ilish to India.

This announcement was made in a press release issued by the Ministry of Commerce on Saturday.

However, the release did not specify the price for the exported ilish. In 2023, 3,950 tons of ilish were exported for Durga Puja.