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9 lakh rainbow trout eyed ova supplied to Uttarakhand, says HP fisheries department
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu says the department of fisheries’ initiatives have not only boosted aquaculture production but have also inspired the youth to explore opportunities in the sector
The fisheries department said Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a leading exporter of high-quality rainbow trout eyed ova, supplying to states such as Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Under various schemes, progressive trout hatchery farmers have successfully provided 9.05 lakh rainbow trout eyed ova to Uttarakhand alone this fiscal, it stated.
This year, the department of fisheries has produced 12.60 lakh rainbow trout eyed ova and 1.74 lakh of them are from its eight government run farms, located at Patlikuhal and Hamni in Kullu district, Barot in Mandi Thalla, and Holi and Bhandal in Chamba district. With breeding still in progress, the production is expected to surpass 20 lakh, a significant increase from last year’s 15.79 lakh in the government sector.
Additionally, the private sector is expected to contribute an equivalent volume, with nine functional hatcheries in Kullu, Mandi and Sirmour districts collectively targeting a production of 20 lakh eyed ova. Overall trout production in the state, which stood at 1,402 metric tonnes in the financial year 2023-24, is projected to reach 1,600 metric tonnes in 2024-25.
To further boost rainbow trout production in the state’s cold-water regions, the fisheries department has established a cold-water recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) unit at the trout farm in Patlikuhal, Kullu. A similar unit has been set up in the private sector and both are now operational. These initiatives are expected to enhance cold-water aquaculture, said Vivek Chandel, director of the fisheries department.
The state has also seen a rise in brown trout ova production, which plays a crucial role in angling tourism. Breeding of Norwegian and Danish strains of brown trout has been successfully undertaken at Barot (Mandi) and Dhamwari (Shimla) trout farms. Due to these focused efforts, the state attracted 3,524 anglers by December last year, the department stated.
The department further stated that chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu remarked, “The department of fisheries’ initiatives have not only boosted aquaculture production but have also inspired the youth of the state to explore opportunities in the sector. By promoting sustainable and scientific aquaculture practices, we are empowering the next generation of farmers to contribute to national food security and economic growth.”
