The Hindu : Export of Kashmiri trout planned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

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National

Export of Kashmiri trout planned

By Shujaat Bukhari

DACHIGAM, MARCH 20. The Jammu and Kashmir Government is contemplating export of the famous Kashmiri trout, which was brought here over a century ago from Scotland.

It is waiting for funds to set in motion the second phase of trout production meant for the international fish market.

Out of 27 trout farms in Kashmir, the Dachigam farm in the National Park compound, about 30 km from Srinagar, is doing brisk business.

There has been a quantum jump in production from 20 metric tonnes in 1989 to 100 metric tonnes now.

"This is expected to go up in the next few months, but we do have problems of infrastructure," says Showkat Ali, Joint Director of Fisheries.

Mr. Ali says the department had problems during the last 13 years. "We had to close a number of farms, including this one, though temporarily," he says, adding that they had succeeded in reviving their units.

The department is looking forward to exporting the trout after the Union Government of India agrees to its proposals for funding the second phase.

The trout was a "gift" from Scotland and the first consignment of 10,000 trout eggs was sent to this Himalayan region from England by the Duke of Bedford in 1899. But the species died en route.

However, in the year 1900, a new batch from Scotland arrived and the species continues to be bred in Kashmir.

For many decades the production remained stagnant and only during 1985-86, the European Economic Committee gave Rs. 1.35 crores for a 10 tonne production in the first phase. With the funding came equipment, training and expertise.

The second phase, Mr. Ali says, is likely to be taken up shortly. "Feed mills were not available in India and we had to import," he says.

The department has a Dutch machine, which churns out 500 kg of feed an hour.

Raw material also comes from places close to the sea, such as Chennai and Mumbai.

"By the time we have the second phase in place we can export over 50 per cent of total trout production," Mr. Ali says.

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