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PESHAWAR, Sep 23 (APP):Disastrous floods caused by climatic changes have wreaked irrecoverable damage on trout fish farming industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, threatening its survival as farm owners and skilled labor are opting for other sources of earning to eke out living.
“The disastrous deluge caused by 2022 floods has badly impacted trout fish farming sector by destroying around 250 number of farms including nine in public sector hatcheries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province besides washing away hundreds of tonnes of fish stock,” informed Ameenullah, President All Trout Fish Farms Association Swat.
“We have around 300 fish farms in Swat established near the embankment of river or canals fed by glacial water and a large number of them around 229 are completely destroyed by devastating flood,” shared Ameenullah while talking with APP.
Since trout is reared in cold glacial water, so majority of the fish farms are located in Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he explains.
According to estimates made by Fisheries Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2022, the damage to fisheries sector because of devastating flood was around Rs. Two billion.
Now after passage of almost around two years, only ten to 12 fish farm owners have revived their farms on self-help basis and on low scale production due to lack of financial resources, he added.
For arranging a normal stock of 10,000 fries, the owner need an amount of Rs. Two million. While rearing of 10,0000 fries for around 15 months to prepare a mature stock, an investment of Rs. 10 million is required, Ameen told APP.
Ameenullah also made a startling disclosure that due to inability of trout fish farm owners in arranging finances to restart the business, majority of them have migrated from their native locality of Swat to other parts of the country and even abroad.
The skill labor associated with trout fish farming have also shifted to major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Mardan in search of new sources of earning due to complete closure of fish farms, he added.
“Several trout fish farm owners have sifted to Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries for earning money to pay loans they have obtained for starting of trout fish business,” continued President of Swat Trout Fish Farms Association, comprising of more than 300 members.
The number of trained labor in trout fish farming who became jobless due to damage to the farms is in hundreds because each farm provided livelihood facility from five to 20 persons.
“About 1500 people in Swat depend directly on trout farms for employment, with thousands of others affected via their jobs in hotels, eateries and shops,” observed Usman Ali, General Secretary Swat Trout Fish Farms Association.
Usman also had a big trout fish farm in Madyan on which a restaurant providing staying facility to tourists was also established which all washed away in 2022 floods.
Similarly, he continued, he had also established six trout fish farms in Mankiyal which all wiped out besides eleven others.
The trout fish industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has faced sever financial damages thrice during the last twelve years.
First after the 2010 devastating floods, later in 2019 due to corona lockdown, imposing complete ban on visits of tourists to scenic resorts and in 2022 because of the disastrous floods.
This time after 2022 floods no support is provided to trout fish owners by government or non-governmental organizations, leaving them alone to overcome the losses.
Those who restarted business, have arranged money by obtaining loans from banks, selling some lands, jewelry and other valuables.
Another problem of price hike also increased difficulties of trout fish owners. The price of feed jumped from Rs. 70 to 75 per kg in 2022 to Rs. 250 to 300 per kg.
Similarly increase in price of soybean has damage the productive quality of fish meal, increasing the growth period of trout fry (baby fish) from 14 to 15 months to 23 to 24 months to gain a weight of one kg.
The price of one kg of trout fish in 2022 is increased from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 3500, badly impacting sale of business due to high price of the commodity.
“Poor quality of feed in wake of increase in price is also causing surge in mortality rate of fish stock in Gilgit Baltistan (GB),” informed Ghulam Mohiuddin, Director Fisheries GB.
Mohiuddin informed that floods also damaged several farms in GB with no progress in revival due to huge amount of required investment.
He also shared concern over threats posed by climatic changes on trout fish farming as frequent damages are diverting attention of investors from this sector due to involvement of high risk.
Director Fisheries GB also suggested for establishing of cold chain system for supply of trout fish from mountainous region to down country in major cities where people can pay high price.
In mountainous region, the main source of earning for trout fish growners sale of fish to tourists while during off season response from locals is very low due to their low purchasing power.
So supply to major cities can fetch good earnings for trout fish owners and help in revival of this industry reeling through the disastrous impacts of climate changes, Mohiuddin opined.