The Himachal Pradesh government will import around 8 lakh genetically modified species of 5 lakh Rainbow Trout and 3 lakh Brown Trout seeds from Denmark during the current financial year to replenish the old trout bloodstock in the state department farms, Fisheries Minister Virender Kanwar said on Sunday.

Kanwar said the state government has imported 18.00 lakh genetically modified trout seeds from Denmark in the year 2018-19 to 2020-21 to boost fish production in the state in order to meet growing demand of fish in Indian markets.

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The genetically modified imported eye ova seed is being reared  at Trout Farm Hamni and Batahar in Kullu district, Barot in Mandi district, Thalla in Chamba district, Dhamwari in Shimla district and Sangla in Kinnaur district. These imported eyed ova are reared upto fingerling stage at fish farms and then   distributed to trout growers for farming. Some stock is kept in departmental trout farms to prepare brooders for breeding purposes, he added.

He stated that with the import, the fisheries department has been successful in raising table size trout fish in Cages at Koldam (Bilaspur) in just 8 months which under conventional system of trout raceways in coldwater regions take approximately 1 year.

The department has been successful in rearing trout fish in cages in Govind Sagar Dam for the first time in the year 2018-19 and the department has reared around 8 tonnes trout fish valuing around 72.00 lakhs in cages in Govind Sagar Dam during the year 2021-22.

The state is also investing funds to develop fisheries infrastructure in the state, under which the department has spent around Rs 90 crore from the year 2017-18 upto year 2020-21 on construction of the hatchery, pond development, trout units etc in the state.

Total 32 trout hatcheries i.e. Kullu (9) Mandi (9)  Kangra (2), Chamba (5), Shimla (2) Kinnaur (3) and Sirmour (2) have been set up with initial investment of Rs 875 lakh rupees under various centrally sponsored schemes in private sector till date in the state to meet growing demand of  trout eyed ova within the state.

During the year 2021-22 five more trout hatcheries would be set up in  Sirmour, Chamba, Kinnaur, Shimla and Mandi districts with initial investment of Rs. 2.50 crore to augment trout ova/egg productions, Kanwar said.

He further stated that the state has huge resources of freshwater that is favorable for rainbow trout farming. Looking at this we have decided to tap this. We believe that our fish demand can be met, if we utilize our resources and plan properly.

Our department is also creating awareness in the state and helping youth know the benefits of trout fish farming. Other than this, we will also provide the marketing support to the aspiring entrepreneurs besides seeds and feed on subsidy to them so that they can successfully run fish rearing ventures,

This import will also help the state to meet a target of approximately 1200 tons in the next five years – a far cry from the approx 700 tonnes it is producing today.

The  trout is sold within the state and out of the state at Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, he added.