Defunct since ’18, Kullu trout fish farm to be revived

Dipender Manta

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Tribune News Service

Mandi, March 2

The Patlikuhl trout fish farm in Kullu district will be revived at a cost of Rs 2.53 crore. The fish farm was damaged in September 2018. Since then, the fish farm has been defunct, which is a good source of income to the Fisheries Department.

The department is producing trout fish to meet the demand of the market and producing quality fingerlings (seed) of trout fish to allocate it to farmers for fish production.

The department has requested the Centre to provide Rs 15 crore for the revival of the farm but till now no aid has been provided. At the same time, Director of the department Satpal Mehta had requested the state government to provide some financial help for its revival. The state has now approved Rs 2.53 crore for the purpose.

Mehta said, “The fish farm will be made functional soon. The department had requested the Centre to provide Rs 15 crore for its revival. The highest production of 16.47 metric tonne and 11 lakhs fingerings was recorded in the fish farm. Now, we are planning to enhance the production of trout fish up to 50 metric tonne,” he said.

The trout farming was introduced in Patlikuhl with the Norwegian assistance in 1991.

The government has now imported more exotic varieties of trout fish to promote extensive trout farming.

The department is motivating more people to adopt fish farming as alternative source of income and it will provide help to farmers to set up their own fish production units.