Union Fisheries Secretary Chairs Pithoragarh Coldwater Fisheries Cluster Review
Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary of the Department of Fisheries, chaired a hybrid review meeting on the Pithoragarh Coldwater Fisheries Cluster at the Collectorate in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand on October 19, 2026. The meeting was attended by senior officials including Shri Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal (Additional Director General, ITBP), Smt. Gunjan Krishna (Joint Secretary, Department of Fisheries), Dr. J. K. Jena (Deputy Director General, ICAR), Dr. B. K. Behera (CEO, NFDB), Shri P. Jawahar (Chairman, MPEDA), and district officials along with representatives from Himalayan states, NABARD, ICAR-DCFR, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, trout farmers, and other stakeholders.
Uttarakhand's Trout Export Achievement and Market Developments
Uttarakhand has achieved the distinction of being the first state in the Himalayan region to export trout to Nepal and the first state to supply trout to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). During the meeting, Shri Ashish Kumar Bhatgain, District Magistrate of Pithoragarh, presented an overview of the district's fisheries achievements and highlighted the need to strengthen market linkages, promote trout value addition, and ensure better prices for fish farmers. The ITBP representative indicated significant trout requirements in northeastern states like Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, suggesting potential expansion opportunities.
Entrepreneurial Success and Farmer Concerns
Smt. Rekha Joshi, a woman fish farmer, shared her success story of generating daily sales of approximately ₹5,000 through value-added fish products including fish balls, fish fingers, and fish momos. However, other trout farmers raised concerns about the low rates offered by ITBP considering the high costs of feed and transportation. Farmers also highlighted the need for better prices, training and capacity building, and availability of quality feed at reasonable rates.
Development Roadmap and Strategic Initiatives
Dr. B. K. Behera, CEO of NFDB, delivered a detailed presentation on the Coldwater Fisheries Cluster Programme, highlighting pre-production and post-production gaps and outlining a five-year development roadmap. The Union Secretary suggested that other Himalayan states explore Memoranda of Understanding to supply trout to ITBP and other armed forces in coordination with the Department of Fisheries. Deliberations focused on addressing challenges related to trout seed availability, feed supply, productivity, and cold-chain infrastructure, alongside strengthening scientific support, market linkages, and the fisheries value chain.
Infrastructure and Capacity Building Emphasis
The Secretary emphasized encouraging greater participation of start-ups and entrepreneurs in coldwater fisheries clusters and stressed the importance of strengthening cold-chain infrastructure, including establishing cold storage facilities near airports and railway stations to facilitate trout transportation and exports. Shri P. Jawahar, Chairman of MPEDA, emphasized the importance of training and capacity building for trout farmers to strengthen technical skills and improve export readiness, promoting best practices in post-harvest handling, quality assurance, processing, and value addition. Dr. J. K. Jena highlighted ICAR's research and technical support for promoting scientific aquaculture practices and sustainable development of cold-water fisheries.