Munsyari emerges as a major rainbow trout farming hub in Uttarakhand

The Munsyari region in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district has become a significant center for rainbow trout farming, driven by the glacial streams of the Gori Ganga and favorable water temperatures. During a visit to the Namjala Trout Farm, Union Fisheries Secretary Abhilaksh Lekhi highlighted how cold-water aquaculture is serving as a sustainable livelihood model for Himalayan states.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Pithoragarh has been developed as a cold-water fisheries cluster. The central government has invested over 2,299 crore rupees in cold-water regions to develop infrastructure such as hatcheries, feed mills, and cold storage.

Currently, the Uttarakhand Fisheries Department exports trout to Nepal and supplies the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) through a memorandum of understanding. The expansion of this sector holds strategic importance for livelihood diversification and nutritional security across Himalayan states, including Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.