Kullu trout fish farmers seek financial aid

Tribune News Service

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Mandi, May 22

Trout fish farmers from Kullu district have sought financial assistance to purchase rainbow trout seeds and fish feed to resume farming in the district.

They said the government should either extend financial support or provide seeds and feed free of cost to support fish farmers.

The fish farmers said due to the ongoing Covid crisis, they were not in a position to purchase seeds and feed from the Fisheries Department, which was providing it on payment basis these days.

They said the 2018 flash floods had caused severe damage to fish farms in Kullu district. Fish farmers were facing problems since then and urging the department to provide seeds to them so that they could resume working.

Shakti Singh, president of the Trout Fish Farmers’ Association, Kullu, said,” Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the financial condition of fish farmers has been affected. The association has written a letter to the Principal Secretary of the Fisheries Department apprising him about their plight. I have also written to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur urging him to support needy trout farmers.”

He said this was the only source of livelihood for most for them. Any help from the state government in this time of crisis would go a long way in securing the future of marginal farmers not only in Kullu district, but across the state, he added