Jagiroad dry fish market has grown by 20 per cent

Jagiroad dry fish market, located in Jagiroad, a small industrial town in central Assam’s Morigaon district, is famous as one of the largest dry fish markets of Asia. About 500 tons of dry fish are sold in this market on three market days in a week. Apart from Assam, different varieties of dry fish from Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra, Gujarat and West Bengal are supplied to this market. The market, 60 km off Assam’s capital city Guwahati, caters to huge demand for dry fishes in North-eastern states and in Bangladesh.

“The market has witnessed around 20 percent growth in the last 20 years,” says Kamal Dey, the president of Jagiroad Dry Fish Merchants’ Association which runs the market. The market, set up in 1958, has 150 shops at present. About 4000 people are either directly or indirectly engaged with the market which covers an area of 30 acres. The market receives and supplies dry fish to various parts in trucks, and in trains to and fro Jagiroad railway station, which is located just behind the market.