Known as city of hospitality, Peshawar is a unique ancient city which is frequently visited by tourists who enjoy its rich in culture and relish on its delectable traditional food, which ranges from mouth-watering Chappli Kebabs to Peshawari rice-polao and trout fish that is mostly brought from Malakand and Hazara divisions as special winter food recipe.
Travelling through the historic Qissa Khawani and Namak Mandi bazaars in the bustling city, visitors can’t help taste the tantalising aroma arising out of the crispy Chappli Kabab, fried fish shops and the traditional Qehwa being served in the winter season.
As roaring business, the fish outlets are often flooded with foodies enjoying the delectable Rainbow and Brown Trout, Mushka, Raho, Salmon, Pomfret, Mahsher, and Lobsters, which are brought from Ghanta Ghar, a hub of fish trade in Peshawar City. During the winter months hotel owners, fish vendors and restaurants receive a deluge of orders for immediate consumption and home deliveries for residents and visitors enjoying its delicious bites with loved ones during the peak of winter season.
“As special winter offer, we have asked for sufficient stock of trout from the Swat and Mansehra districts keeping in view the high demand for the fish by Peshawarties,” said Ali Khan, the owner of a famous fish outlet at Qissa Khwani bazaar. He further stated that the recipe for cooking trout fish is very simple and is cost, as well as time-efficient. “We prepare trout in oil after its proper water wash and cutting. Later, varieties of spicy sauces, pomegranate seed powder, salt and other spices are used to marinate for two hours it before it is fried on a medium flame, and served to customers with chips, sauces, salad and naans.” Ali Khan, who has been associated with the fish business for over 25-years said in his experience people most commonly demanded deep-fried fish, while some liked ‘tawa macchi’ and wanted grilled and baked trout.
“Trout is my favorite seafood as its meat is full of proteins and vitamins besides being easily digestible,” said Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) Assistant Manager Khurshid Khan. He added that, “normally every weekend, I visit Peshawar to enjoy trout fish with my family, but today, I rushed to the famous Qissa Khwani to enjoy my favorite food to beat the severe cold that gripped Peshawar Valley for the last few days.”
“When I was young, I frequently visited Swat with my father to enjoy the freshwater brown trout due to its aromatic taste and spiciness amid snowfall. This year, I did not go to Swat due to availability of the grilled and baked brown trout fish at Peshawar,” he added.
Government Hospital Pabbi Nowshera Children Specialist Dr Riaz Khan, said there was an additional burden on the heart, brains, joints and lungs of weak people and children due to persistent cough, nausea and frosts in winter. He said that the consumption of the fish was the best and easily available choice to help reduce risks of these diseases. Terming fish as the best source of proteins, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, iron and iodine, he maintained that its consumption helps improve digestion, protects skin from dryness and relieves joints’ pains.
The Trout Industry
Swat Trout Fish Farming Association General Secretary Usman Ali revealed that the business of trout farmers has sparked in the winter following an increase in demands of consumers and the hotel industry from across the country. He said about 150 trout farms existed in Swat that had to engage extra labourers to meet the placed orders.
He said about 2,500 people were directly associated with trout farming in Swat and urged the government to announce a special package for trout farmers keeping in view of their substantial economic losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Due to the vulnerability of temperature, the mortality ratio of trout remained high as a result of which fishermen suffered great economic losses,” he added.
Usman shared that one kilogramme trout in the open market was being sold between Rs2,000 to Rs2,500 per kilogramme. “Trout farming is a highly profitable business. Any farmer having 35 marla land and a proper water inflow and outflow system can produce 2,250 kilogrammes of trout and earn about two million rupees profit after 15 months raring,” he added. He said Pakistan can earn substantial revenue by giving special incentives to trout’s farmers besides construction of new trout lakes especially in Malakand and Hazara divisions due availability of plenty of cold water reservoirs and ideal climate conditions for trout farming.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government had launched the Trout Village Project (TVP) in Hazara and Malakand Divisions in 2018 under which 93 small and large trout fish farms were established, said KP Fisheries Department Planning and Monitoring Deputy Director Muhammad Zubair. “These farms were established under a 50-50 cost sharing formula contributed by the KP Government and farmers mostly in Swat and Mansehra districts under the TVP that would be completed by June this year,” he said. A model trout hatchery under the KP government has been established at Salathanar valley in Upper Swat on 15 kanal with capacity to produce six million fish seeds per year, he said, adding that it would start production next year.
According to Zubair, another project title ‘development of cold water fisheries resources’ costing Rs1,200 million, is a joint venture of between Federal and KP Governments which would lead to the establishment of 297 trout lakes in the Malakand and Hazara divisions.
“The KP government has recently approved the development of reservoirs for uplift of fisheries resources costing Rs500 million under which 67 carp fish farms and model hatchery on 179 kanal at Swabi would be established from where fish seedlings would be provided to private hatcheries and Tarbela Dam,” he stated, while adding that with the completion of these projects, KP’s fish production would likely increase to 740 metric tonnes from the existing 400 metric tonnes by 2024.
Terming water pollution and climate change as a big threat to trout farming, the official suggested a comprehensive mechanism for disposal of tourism waste in Malakand and Hazara divisions. Throwing of plastic and hotels’ effluent drains directly into River Swat and Kunhar are extremely harmful for freshwater trout, he added.
Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Mohibullah Khan stated that the government had increased the development budget to a record Rs8298 million for 132 ongoing and new projects during current fiscal year.
Work on a new project aimed at the development of fisheries resources in merged areas has commenced under which Rs220 million would be spent in current fiscal, adding that model coldwater research centre was being established at Madyn Swat with a facility of a fish hatchery where academia and young researchers would be facilitated to conduct researches on different issues of aquatic resources.
