Kuakata Correspondent
Sales of dried fish have increased in Mahipur Fishing Port of Kalapara upazila. Being famous for selling Hilsha in monsoon season, sale of dried fish has been going on since the end of winter.
The dried fish sector in Kuakata had incurred a huge loss due to COVID-19 pandemic. Fish sellers and workers in the area started this season with losses and uncertainty as Kuakata lacks modern facilities to store and process dried fishes. Dried fish worth almost Tk 100 crore remain unsold and some quantity was damaged during the period. Despite the losses, Mohipur, Sudhipur, Nijampur and Gorakhal ports are now selling fish worth 1.0 crore every day.
After visiting the ports, it was seen that more than hundred workers were drying various species of fishes on the net. Some were collecting fish, some were busy packaging the already dried fishes. These are then sent to various districts. Women and children were also participating in the fish drying process. Their daily activities continue from morning to evening. These fish drying centres mainly sell fish in a wholesale form.
As being made naturally, dried fishes from this area are famous across the country. Loitta and shrimp are the main fishes to be dried out here due to heavy demand. Rupchada, Chapa, Vhetki, Churi, Lobster, Pabda, Coral, Vol, Sahanana and other species of marine fish are also sold here.
These dried fish centres also fulfill the demand of local market. Fish sellers of Kuakata buy fish from here for the retail market. Fishes are sent to Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts. Sellers in the area inform that agencies of Dhaka and Chattogram then export the dried fishes abroad.
Jasim Uddin, (40), a dried fish trader from Nizampur, said, "I lost a lot at the beginning of the season. Currently I see some profits. Now every day I send dried fish worth taka 2 lakh to different areas”. Zaheer Nazir, a dried fish trader from Gorakhal, said, "At the beginning of this season, I lost Tk 20 lakh as most of the fishes were not sold due to the pandemic. But at present I send fish worth Tk 7 lakh a week to Sydpur.”
Sohel Mahmud, a trader from Maa Sutki Bazar, said, "Traders of this market buy most of the fish from Nizampur and Gorakhal. Now sales are gradually getting better, so we are gradually going to overcome losses."
Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md Zahirunnabi said Kuakata holds a great reputation for producing safe and quality dried fish. However, at the beginning of this year, traders of this area were facing losses due to the pandemic. Things are getting improved now. The fisheries department is trying to give them loans on easy terms, he added.
