Srinagar: Mohammad Subhan, a 50-year-old farmer in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district established a fish farm on 30 marlas of land. He earns Rs 6 to 8 lakh annually from trout sales.
“Last year, we sold 1400 kilogram of trout and we made an earning of Rs 6 lakh. Rearing trout is giving us better returns than crops that we could have cultivated on this land. This sector has a huge potential. If a person works with dedication, he won’t look for a job and will instead provide employment to others,” he said.
Trout is cold water fish. It survives only in running water and temperatures between 0 and 20 degree Celsius. It is rich in protein and boosts immunity. Each kilogram is sold for around Rs 500.
There are over 650 private trout fish units in Kashmir. Besides, trout is present in all the streams and Nallahs of the valley. The important ones are Lidder, Wangath, Gurez, Hamal, Lam, Sindh, Kishenganga, Sukhnag, Doodhganga, Erin, Ferozpur(Tangmarg), Bringi, Aharbal, Hirpora, Dachigam, Kokernag, Naristan, Madhumati, and Nowbugh.
According to government figures, private and government farms produce over 700 tonnes of trout annually in Kashmir. They generate more than Rs 14 crore revenue annually.
“This sector has a huge potential and is also being introduced in other parts of the country,” an official of the Fisheries Department said.
Various states have introduced trout in their respective places because of its success.
“Government in various states purchase trout from us, supply to their farmers who then rear them in their respective farms. This has a good success rate which is why various states are introducing it in their respective places. It has a better quality and growth rate,” the official said.
Various areas across the country including Shillong, Shimla, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Sikkim, and neighboring country Nepal are rearing trout fish in their respective places that have been transported from Kashmir.
In the Anantnag district, a lot of fisheries farms have been established by people with the support of the government. In June 2018, Anantnag district was also declared a trout fish district of India.
The trout was brought to Kashmir over a century ago. The first batch of trout ova of 10,000 eggs arrived from the UK in 1899. Unfortunately, the first batch perished en route due to the non-existence of air transport. The 2nd shipment of trout ova arrived from Scotland on December 19, 1900, through J.S.Macdonall and were reared in the premises of a private carpet factory owner (Michel) in Baghi Dilawar Khan in Srinagar. Since then, the government and hundreds of farmers have been rearing trout on their respective farms.
