Pangasius and tilapia have long been among the most affordable sources of animal protein for low-income and middle-class families in Bangladesh. When more expensive varieties such as rohu and catla became increasingly difficult to afford, these farmed fish remained a dependable option for households trying to keep fish on their daily menus. That affordability is now slipping away. With prices reaching Tk 250 per kilogram in markets across Dhaka, even these once-budget-friendly choices are becoming a financial burden for ordinary consumers.
A visit to several fresh markets in the capital found pangasius selling for Tk 180 to Tk 220 per kilogram, depending on size. Fish weighing between two and three kilograms were priced at Tk 220 to Tk 250 per kilogram, while larger specimens cost even more. Just a few years ago, small and medium-sized pangasius could be purchased for between Tk 120 and Tk 150 per kilogram, making it a popular choice for families seeking to balance their food budgets.
Tilapia has also become considerably more expensive. Medium-sized fish are selling for around Tk 220 per kilogram, while larger specimens weighing more than one kilogram cost between Tk 240 and Tk 250. In 2022, prices started at approximately Tk 140 per kilogram. Compared with that earlier level, current prices have risen by around 25 to 57 per cent, depending on the size and market rate.
The narrowing price gap between medium-sized tilapia and larger pangasius has further reduced the options available to budget-conscious shoppers. For families already facing pressure from the cost of everyday essentials, buying enough fish to meet their household needs is becoming increasingly difficult.
High production has failed to keep prices affordable
Farmed freshwater fish account for a substantial share of Bangladesh’s fish supply. Commercial aquaculture is particularly prominent in districts including Mymensingh, Jashore, Bogura, Rajshahi and Cumilla.
According to the Department of Fisheries, eight species are commonly cultivated in commercial ponds: pangasius, tilapia, rohu, catla, silver carp, mrigal, common carp and koi. Pangasius and tilapia are among the leading species by production volume.
In the 2023–24 financial year, Bangladesh produced 405,000 tonnes of pangasius and 354,000 tonnes of tilapia. Their combined output reached 759,000 tonnes, underlining the importance of these two species to the country’s aquaculture sector.
Yet high production has not translated into consistently affordable retail prices. The cost of producing and transporting fish has increased, placing pressure on prices throughout the supply chain. The volume available nationally is only one part of the equation; the cost of feed, transport and distribution also influences what consumers ultimately pay.
For households on limited incomes, the distinction between production and affordability is particularly important. Even when fish is available in substantial quantities, rising costs can prevent families from buying it regularly.
Consumers are buying less as prices climb
The impact of higher prices is already visible in retail sales. Aminul Islam, a fish seller at Badda Market in Dhaka, said customers continued to visit the market, but the quantities they purchased had fallen by almost half.
Customers who previously bought one or two kilograms of fish were increasingly limiting their purchases to half a kilogram or one kilogram, he said.
This shift is creating difficulties for retailers as well. Higher wholesale prices leave sellers with limited room to keep their products affordable, while consumers respond to rising prices by purchasing less. As a result, the amount of fish sold can decline even when the price per kilogram increases, making it harder for traders to maintain their profits.
For families managing tight household budgets, reducing the quantity of fish is often one of the immediate ways to control food expenditure. However, repeated reductions in consumption can also affect dietary diversity, particularly where fish has traditionally been a regular source of animal protein.
Feed and transport costs drive up market prices
Abul Kalam, a wholesale fish trader at Karwan Bazar, identified rising fish-feed prices as a major factor behind the increase in retail costs. Higher feed expenses have raised production costs for fish farmers, putting pressure on the prices at which they sell their harvests.
Transport costs have also increased significantly, he said. The cost of hiring a truck, which previously stood at Tk 15,000 to Tk 16,000, has now exceeded Tk 20,000. Additional expenses at various points along transport routes, including payments to intermediaries described as line operators, add to the overall burden.
Fish passes through several stages before reaching consumers. It is transported from farms to wholesale markets and then distributed to retailers, with expenses accumulating at each stage. Fuel, vehicle hire, handling and other distribution costs can all influence the final retail price.
Because fish is perishable, moving it to market promptly and maintaining suitable storage conditions are also important. Any increase in the cost of handling and distribution can add to the pressure on traders and consumers alike.
The accounts provided by market participants point to feed and transport expenses as important contributors to rising prices. However, determining the precise contribution of each factor would require a more detailed assessment of production costs, wholesale transactions and retail margins.
Affordable fish is becoming a nutritional concern
The rising cost of pangasius and tilapia has implications beyond household spending. For many families, these fish are among the most accessible sources of animal protein. If prices continue to increase, lower-income consumers may reduce their fish consumption or turn to other foods that fit within their budgets.
Experts at the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute have warned that sustained price increases for these widely available fish could reduce consumption among ordinary people and create longer-term challenges for national nutritional security.
They have stressed the need to reduce fish-feed costs and invest in research to develop affordable alternatives. More cost-effective feed could help farmers manage production expenses, although its practical benefits would depend on its nutritional quality, availability and suitability for commercial fish farming.
Efforts to improve production efficiency and distribution could also help ease cost pressures. Examining expenses at different stages of the supply chain would make it easier to identify where costs are rising and whether there is scope to reduce unnecessary charges.
The challenge is to ensure that the benefits of Bangladesh’s substantial aquaculture production reach consumers as well as producers and traders. Increasing output alone may not be enough if the costs of farming and bringing fish to market continue to rise.
Pangasius and tilapia once offered a practical way for families to include fish in their regular meals without spending heavily. Their rising prices now threaten that role. Without effective measures to address production and distribution costs, one of the most accessible sources of animal protein for lower-income households could become increasingly difficult to afford.
