Supply Chain Analysis of Salted Tenualosa ilisha (Nona ilish) inBangladesh

Abstract

Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) is the single largest fishery of Bangladesh and very popular food fish. Chandpur is very famous for Hilsa hence it is called the “City of Hilsa”. The study was conducted from July 2016 to December 2016 with a view to knowing the salting process and determining the supply chain analysis of salted Hilsa for better management of this trade. A structured questionnaire was used during primary data collection and the fishermen, fisher folk, fish retailer and other associated personnel were interviewed directly. From the daily newspapers of Bangladesh both local and national, secondary data were collected. Hilsa is processed in two forms; dry salted and wet salted. The salted Hilsa are then traded in the country mainly to the buyers from Sherpur and Jamalpur districts by truck or pick-up. Depending on the number of boxes, salted Hilsa are transported through mini, medium and big truck in which maximum capacity of each box is 160 kg. From these two districts salted Hilsa are sold to district buyer at 250-300 taka/kg, then to local buyers at 350-400 taka/kg and finally to local consumers. Salted Hilsa are also prepared in Dhaka, Patuakhali, Barishal, Bhola and sold to the buyers of Sherpur, Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Moulvibazar, Rangpur and Thakurgaon districts. Salted Hilsa can become an exportable value added product and foreign currency can be earned by exporting salted Hilsa.