• The company pioneers the first ever successful farming for the species, a High Value cold-water species under Hyderabad’s climatic conditions
• The Government of India has made cumulative investments worth approximately USD 470 million since 2015
The Indian Union Minister, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh (alias Lalan Singh) inaugurates recently the Smart Green Aquaculture Farm and Research Institute and state-of-the-art Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS) facility following the General body meeting on in Hyderabad, Telangana (India).
Smart Green Aquaculture Limited has established India’s first commercial-scale tropical Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS)-based rainbow trout Aquaculture Farm & Research Institute, marking a watershed moment in the evolution of Indian aquaculture.
Situated at Kandukur Mandal in Ranga Reddy District, Telangana conclusively demonstrates that high-value cold-water species such as rainbow trout can be farmed year-round in tropical climates, using precision engineering, controlled biological systems, and advanced water recirculation technologies. This achievement overturns long-standing assumptions that premium aquaculture species are geographically constrained to specific climatic zones, and it establishes technology-not climate-as the primary determinant of aquaculture viability.
A Live Training and Demonstration Platform
The project functions as a live training and demonstration platform, equipping youth with hands-on experience in advanced aquaculture systems, automation, and biosecurity, thereby strengthening human capital in the fisheries sector.
The Government of India has set in motion a series of transformative initiatives aimed at fostering the comprehensive development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector within the country. Over the years, there has been a significant upswing in central government investments dedicated to this sector. From the initiation of this endeavor in 2015, the cumulative investments, totaling an impressive INR 38,572 million (around USD 470), have been approved or announced across various schemes.
Cold water fisheries are rapidly gaining momentum as a dynamic and high-potential segment within the broader fisheries sector. Driven by rising market demand for premium cold-water species, expanding domestic and export opportunities, and increasing investments in sustainable aquaculture technologies, this subsector is emerging as a key contributor to livelihood generation and economic growth in mountainous and high-altitude regions.
Increased Fish Production
Trout farming represents a high-value and strategically important segment of India’s aquaculture sector largely concentrated in Himalayan and hill states such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim of leveraging cold, well-oxygenated water resources from snow-fed streams and rivers.
The Department of Fisheries has made significant strides in harnessing these resources through the development of rainbow trout hatcheries, which have substantially increased fish production and created local employment opportunities. With the establishment of new hatcheries and the adoption of advanced aquaculture techniques, an annual production of 1.4 million trout seeds has been achieved. Furthermore, Uttarakhand has signed an MoU with Indo Tibetan Boarder Police (ITBP) under the vibrant village scheme to provide trout fish.
Focused Investments, Technology Adoption and Institutional Reforms
The Government of India is decisively driving aquaculture as a strategic growth engine through focused investments, technology adoption, and institutional reforms. By prioritizing modern systems such as RAS, species diversification into high-value aquaculture, capacity building, and infrastructure creation, the Government is transitioning the sector from subsistence-led practices to a technology-driven, market-oriented ecosystem.
These interventions are strengthening productivity, enhancing farmer incomes, reducing regional constraints, and positioning Indian aquaculture to meet growing domestic demand and emerging export opportunities in a sustainable and scalable manner.
Furthermore, the Department of Fisheries, Government of India has notified for development of cold-water fisheries cluster in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand & Himachal Pradesh.
