Uttarakhand's Himalayan Trout Makes Global Splash, Nepal Gets First Export

Dehradun: Uttarakhand is promoting the Himalayan trout while working to provide better marketing platforms for it. As part of this initiative, trout fish from Uttarakhand have been exported overseas for the first time. Under this, five metric tonnes of trout fish have been supplied to Nepal. Preparations are also underway to export Himalayan trout fish to Dubai.

While Uttarakhand's Himalayan trout is gaining international recognition, several challenges remain, which have prevented it from finding an adequate local market. At present, the government's primary focus is on foreign markets and major Indian cities.

The hill regions of Uttarakhand have natural streams that are ideal not only for tourism but also for fish production. This is why the state government is focusing on fisheries, particularly in the mountainous regions, as it offers substantial benefits to farmers. As part of this effort, the government is promoting the production of Uttarakhand's premium Himalayan trout fish in the state's border hill districts.

Know about the Himalayan Trout Fish (ETV Bharat)

Uttarakhand's Trout Fish Reaches International Market For The First Time

To benefit farmers engaged in trout farming, the state government is also creating international markets. On June 23, five metric tonnes of trout fish were exported to Nepal's international market. This generated an income of around Rs 23.5 lakh for 33 fish farmers. Another 30 metric tonnes of trout fish is expected to be exported to Nepal over the next few months.

Last year, during the Gulf Food Expo in Dubai, the Fisheries Department met with international buyers and stakeholders. An agreement was reached to export Himalayan trout fish to Dubai. However, the supply has not yet begun, with several underlying reasons now coming to light.

Why Couldn't Trout Fish Be Exported To Dubai?

The key reasons include the absence of a processing plant in Uttarakhand and the relatively small size and weight of Himalayan trout. Gulf countries require each trout fish to weigh around three kilograms, whereas Himalayan trout fish currently weigh only around 700 to 800 grams. Additionally, the required documentation has not yet been completed.

Trout Fish: The numbers (ETV Bharat)

History Of Trout Fish In Uttarakhand

The history of Himalayan trout fish in Uttarakhand dates back nearly 150 years to the British era. During the 1850s, the British brought trout fish seed from Switzerland. Since then, trout fish has become an identity of the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. However, it still remains a major challenge for the government.

The biggest challenge is the availability of trout fish seed. Whenever demand rises, trout fish seed has to be imported from Denmark, making it quite expensive. This is because Uttarakhand does not yet have modern hatcheries and a cold-chain storage system. At present, the state government is focusing on developing advanced hatcheries and cold-chain infrastructure to produce trout seed within the state.

Himalayan trout is a premium fish produced in the hill regions of Uttarakhand, where cold, running water is naturally available. During the financial year 2020-21, the state produced 250 metric tonnes of trout fish. By 2025-26, production had increased to nearly 800 metric tonnes.

Around 800 metric tonnes of trout fish have been produced through 1,625 raceways. In addition, while 10,011 families were engaged in fish farming during FY 2021-22, the number increased to 15,657 in FY 2025-26. Significantly, the total includes 3,584 women fish farmers.

The Chief Minister Matsya Sampada Yojana was launched in Uttarakhand in 2024. So far, 1,651 fish farmers have benefited under the scheme. During FY 2025-26, the state produced 11,805 metric tonnes of fish, generating business worth Rs 165 crore.

Keeping in view the growing interest of farmers in fisheries, the budget allocation has also been increased substantially. The Fisheries Department had an allocation of Rs 55.76 crore in FY 2021-22, which has been increased to Rs 261.41 crore in FY 2026-27.

Since 2024, Uttarakhand has supplied 45.10 tonnes of trout, worth Rs 2.10 crore, to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Uttarakhand Fisheries Minister Saurabh Bahuguna said, "Uttarakhand's Himalayan trout fish was widely appreciated during last year's Gulf Food Exhibition in Dubai. However, certain shortcomings were pointed out at the time. It was said that the trout fish was smaller in size and weight. That is why discussions were held with Gulf countries on addressing these issues."

"Since Gulf countries have a specific demand regarding the weight and size of fish, work to address all these shortcomings will be completed within the next three to six months. Thereafter, the process of exporting Himalayan trout fish to Gulf countries will begin. Four new processing plants are also being set up in the state to promote fish processing, and these are expected to become operational in the coming days," Bahuguna added.

"As far as I have been informed, Gulf countries require each fish to weigh around three kilograms, whereas Uttarakhand's Himalayan trout fish weighs around 700-800 grams. The department is working on a policy to begin supplying larger trout fish weighing around three kilograms. Along with that, the trout fish production process will also be further improved," the Fisheries Minister said.

First overseas export from Uttarakhand. (ETV Bharat)

Efforts To Take Fish To International And Domestic Markets

The Uttarakhand government is now focusing on supplying trout fish not only to international markets but also to major cities across the country. Since trout is a premium, high-value variety, expanding its market is expected to provide significant financial benefits to fish farmers. At present, while other varieties of fish are being supplied within Uttarakhand and to other parts of the country, the government is working to expand the market for Himalayan trout.

Although fish production in Uttarakhand has been increasing year after year, the challenge of marketing still persists. Responding to concerns about market access, the Fisheries Minister said the government has consistently promoted Himalayan trout on social media.

He added that an advertising agency is also being hired to market the fish nationwide. The department is also meeting with exporters who already export products to several countries to further expand the international market for Himalayan trout.

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