Munsiyari Trout Cluster Reviewed as Uttarakhand Eyes Wider Markets

Union Fisheries Secretary Abhilaksh Likhi has reviewed the Pithoragarh Coldwater Fisheries Cluster in Uttarakhand, where trout farms in the Munsiyari area now supply fish to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and have begun exporting to Nepal. He visited the Munsiyari cluster on Sunday and chaired a review meeting at the Pithoragarh Collectorate, the Fisheries Department said in a release on Monday, October 19.

Glacial Streams of the Gori Ganga

Likhi said the glacial streams of the Gori Ganga and favourable water temperatures give the area ideal conditions for trout, The Tribune reported. He met trout farmers and members of local cooperatives, including the Johar Matsya Swayatt Sehkarita and the Namjala Trout Farm.

Pithoragarh is one of 34 fisheries clusters notified by the Centre, set up under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). According to The Tribune, national trout production has risen about six-fold in a decade to nearly 5,000 tonnes a year.

Fish for ITBP Posts and Nepal

The ministry said Uttarakhand is the first Himalayan state to export trout to Nepal and the first to supply trout to the ITBP. Its first international consignment went to Nepal in June 2026. ITBP officials said demand is high in north-eastern states such as Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, and Likhi asked other Himalayan states to consider similar supply agreements with the armed forces.

Officials discussed cold storage near airports and railway stations, more participation by start-ups, value addition and quality checks. The National Fisheries Development Board presented a five-year plan for the cluster.

Farmers Ask for Better Rates and Cheaper Feed

Farmers raised concerns about low prices, training and access to quality feed at fair rates. A Munsiyari farmer said ITBP supply rates were low given feed and transport costs.

Some have found extra income in processing. Farmer Rekha Joshi said she earns about Rs 5,000 a day from selling fish balls, fish fingers and fish momos, according to the release.

The review shows how small hill farms are linking to new buyers. For more stories on livelihoods, see our Positive News and Daily Updates pages.

Based on reporting by PIB (Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying) and The Tribune.

Image: PIB.