Union Fisheries Secretary Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi chaired a review meeting on the Pithoragarh Coldwater Fisheries Cluster in Uttarakhand on October 19, 2026, focusing on the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in Himalayan states. The meeting was attended by trout farmers, officials from the Uttarakhand Department of Fisheries, ICAR-DCFR Bhimtal, NABARD, NFDB, MPEDA, and other stakeholders.
India's coldwater fisheries are concentrated in six hilly states and UTs—Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh—which provide ideal ecological conditions for rainbow trout farming. The government has notified coldwater fisheries clusters in Pithoragarh, Kullu, Anantnag, and Kargil to systematically harness these resources. Under PMMSY, over ₹2,299 crore has been invested in hilly states to strengthen infrastructure including raceways, hatcheries, feed systems, and cold storages.
Uttarakhand specifically has received ₹317 crore investment over six years, achieving significant milestones including establishment of 1,638 raceways, 10 hatcheries, and processing units. The state has developed market linkages with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), supplying over 45 MT of trout worth ₹2.10 crore to ITBP posts. Trout production has grown six-fold in the last decade, reaching nearly 5,000 MT annually, with Uttarakhand achieving its first international export of 5 MT to Nepal in June 2026.
Stakeholders identified critical value-chain gaps including seed shortages (15 lakh fingerlings produced against demand of 40 lakh), feed supply constraints, limited productivity (250 kg per raceway against potential of 1,000 kg), and inadequate cold chain logistics. The Secretary emphasized the need to bridge these gaps through establishment of mini hatcheries, feed mills, refrigerated vans, cold storages, and disease surveillance laboratories.
The Secretary directed officials to promote eco-tourism, encourage women's participation in reducing feed costs, and explore establishing cold storage facilities near airports and railway stations to enhance export potential. He emphasized fish-waste utilization through startup engagement and proposed a pilot project with FAO in Munsiyari where women trout farmers have been successfully engaged. During farmer interactions, concerns were raised about training needs and revision of trout rates supplied to ITBP due to high feed costs. Fish farmer Smt. Rekha Joshi reported generating approximately ₹5,000 daily income from value-added products like fish balls and fingers.
The meeting concluded with a call for coordinated action among government agencies, research institutions, cooperatives, and financial institutions to realize the full potential of coldwater aquaculture through convergence of schemes like PMMSY, FIDF, and State programmes such as the Trout Protsahan Yojna.