Tauseef Ahmad
Srinagar, July 30: Nestled amid the pristine freshwater streams of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, Sumlar village has emerged as a model of rural entrepreneurship, where government-supported trout farming schemes have transformed the lives of nearly 20 families.
Once dependent largely on traditional agriculture and struggling with unemployment, the village is today recognised as Bandipora’s “Trout Hub,” supplying fresh trout to markets across Jammu and Kashmir while creating livelihood opportunities for local youth.
The transformation has been driven by government initiatives such as the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), under which the Fisheries Department has provided financial assistance, technical guidance, training and infrastructure support to aspiring fish farmers.
Today, Sumlar’s trout farms not only produce fresh fish but have also inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs to explore value-added products, including trout pickle and smoked trout, expanding income opportunities beyond conventional fish sales.
Abdul Basit, a journalism graduate and one of the pioneers of trout farming in the village, started the venture with his uncle in 2016 after receiving support from the Fisheries Department. Over the years, he has expanded his enterprise from selling fresh trout to producing smoked trout and trout pickle, which is now attracting customers from different parts of the Kashmir Valley.
“Government schemes completely changed our lives. A few years ago, we had very limited employment opportunities, but today we are running successful trout farms, supporting our families and providing jobs to four to five local youth. We have even diversified into trout pickle and smoked trout, and the response from customers has been overwhelming,” Basit said.
According to Basit, hundreds of orders for trout pickle were received within days of its launch, and the products are now being marketed through both online and offline platforms. He believes that with proper processing facilities and marketing support, the products have the potential to reach national and international markets.
Another farmer, said trout farming has become one of the most reliable sources of income for the village.
“There is a huge demand for fresh trout across Kashmir. Every day we send fish to Srinagar and several other districts. The government gave us an opportunity to become entrepreneurs instead of remaining unemployed,” he said.
The success of the initiative has encouraged more youth to take up aquaculture, reducing dependence on seasonal labour and agriculture.
Farmer Ghulam Nabi said the village’s abundant freshwater resources had become an economic asset.
“Our streams were always here, but we never imagined they could create so many jobs. With technical guidance from the Fisheries Department, we learned scientific trout farming and are now earning a respectable livelihood,” he said.
However, despite the success story, farmers say inadequate infrastructure is preventing the sector from reaching its full potential.
The biggest challenge, they said, is the absence of a bridge connecting the village with the main road, making transportation of the highly perishable trout difficult and expensive.
“Fresh trout has to reach the market quickly, but because there is no proper bridge, transportation becomes difficult and costly. Sometimes delays result in financial losses,” said Mohammad Yousuf, another trout farmer.
Farmer Bashir Ahmad said better road connectivity would benefit not only fish farmers but the entire village.
“The government has helped us establish trout farms, and now we request it to complete the missing infrastructure. A bridge will save time, reduce transportation costs and make it easier for people to access schools, hospitals and markets,” he said.
Basit said he had earlier faced marketing challenges before establishing a roadside selling pond along the Srinagar-Bandipora highway, allowing customers to purchase trout directly. His venture, which previously recorded sales of around 2,400 kilograms of trout worth nearly ₹12 lakh in a year, demonstrates the growing potential of fisheries as a sustainable rural enterprise.
Farmers urged the government and district administration to construct the long-pending bridge, saying improved connectivity would strengthen the trout industry, encourage more youth to join the sector and ensure the long-term sustainability of one of Bandipora’s most successful livelihood models.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the Fisheries Department said Sumlar has emerged as one of the finest examples of successful trout farming in Jammu and Kashmir, with the village supplying tonnes of fresh trout to markets across the Valley every year.
He said the department has been extending every possible support to local entrepreneurs through various government schemes, including the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). “The department provides financial assistance, technical guidance, training and other support to eligible beneficiaries. We are committed to encouraging more youth to take up trout farming as a sustainable livelihood, and Sumlar is a shining example of how government support can transform local resources into successful rural enterprises,” the official said.
