J&K government planning to export trout to Dubai

Jammu and Kashmir is planning to export ice-water trout, known as the Royal fish worldwide, to Dubai, Fisheries Minister Ajaz Ahmed Khan said here today.

"The government is looking into the possibility of exporting Trout to Dubai and other countries. We are working in this direction", he said.

For this purpose, facilities like cold storage chains need to be developed and the ministry is formulating a comprehensive plan in this direction.

As many as 481 fish farms have been set up in the state under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme and 21 more are being developed, but there are no official estimates on the quantity of fish that would be available for exports.

On the promotion of Trout, he further said the private sector firms will start rearing the fish in Jammu and Kashmir from this year for which adequate funds have been earmarked.

Khan said that Jammu and Kashmir Fisheries department is also looking into the various aspects of development of Trout in various other districts.

"This would further give boost to fish development programme in the state," Khan said.

The minister further added that after this experiment, the government will focus on encouraging and promoting private sector in fish cultivation in a big way.