Tapping the potential: K-P takes steps to promote fish farming

Work underway to promote and develop fish farming industry

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) is not only famous for its tourist spots but is also known for different species of fish – a feature which attracts fishing enthusiasts from both home and abroad.

Popular varieties of fish available in K-P include rainbow trouts, brown trouts, schizothorax, rohu, mrigal carp, grass carp, silver trout and common carp, among others.

Different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Swat, Kalam Bahrain and Madyan have been famous for trout production.

However, after the insurgency in Swat from 2007 to 2009, most people were forced to abandon their trout-fish production businesses and move to other areas of the province. According to people who were once associated with the industry, militants regularly threatened fish farmers and demanded fish from them without paying anything.

Apart from the problems caused by militancy, the province experienced devastating floods in 2010 because of which the remaining fish farms were damaged. As a result, owners had to suffer huge financial losses.

Faqir Muhammad, who owns a fish farm in Bahrain, Swat, told The Express Tribune that he owned a farm before the insurgency took place but he was compelled to wind up his business.

“I had to lose my flourishing business because of the militants but now that peace has prevailed in the area once again, I have reestablished a fish farm which is currently doing very well,” he said. “With the reopening of the finishing industry in the province, people from all over the country, including foreign tourists, have started coming here to look for trout fish.”

He further explained that per kilogram of trout fish is sold for Rs1,500 to Rs2,000, adding that he also supplies fish to difference restaurants and hotels which earns him an income worth Rs500,000 every year during the peak season.

According to a report by K-P’s Fisheries Department, the province has a total production capacity of 1.4 million tons per year at a governmental level. The report further stated that private fish farms in the province produce an additional 300 million tons of fish per year.

Per the report, in 2015-16, the target for revenue was 53 million but only 48 million could be achieved. In 2016-17, the revenue target was set at 55 million and an impressive 63 million was achieved. In the successive financial year 2017-18, the revenue target was 70 million and 69 million was achieved. Meanwhile, from 2018 up to May 2019, the revenue target was 72 million and 70.2 million have so far been achieved.

Director-General Fisheries Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khisro Kaleem said that in the Annual Development Programme (ADP), the cost of promoting carp fisheries in KP was set at 7 million but only Rs.3.719 million were allocated in 2018-19.

“In the ongoing development portfolio for the province, a project titled the “Strengthening of Fisheries Department in Merged Districts” is being planned which will cost Rs237 million,” he said. “In this way, the government will not only be able to develop fishing farms in K-P but also in the merged districts, which will double the production capacity and bring more revenue.”

Kaleem said that before the tenure of the PTI government, there were only 17 government-owned fish farms in the entire province but now there are 200 of them.

“Every year, fisheries contribute more than Rs70 million to the country’s economy, therefore, it is a very important sector,” he said. “The government has planned to establish trout villages in Malakand and Mansehra and funds have already been allocated for the project. Moreover, one fish farm has the potential of giving a job opportunity to more than 10 people.”

He further added that the provincial government’s focus is on tourism and we also want to promote fish farming and fish hunting tourism in K-P so that more people visit these places. The industry has the potential to reap multiple benefits.

“Earlier, trout fish was available in a few places but now people will be able to purchase it everywhere in Swat and other villages and cities in K-P,” he said. “One will be able to get trout fish in every hotel of the province.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2019.