Srinagar, Oct 14 (KNS): Khyber Aquaculture has secured a licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for its trout farming and processing facility in Ganderbal, paving the way for the company to introduce packaged Himalayan trout products and expand its business beyond traditional regional markets.

The company, which operates an integrated trout farming and processing facility at Chak Akhal in Kangan, said the licence covers the manufacture, trade and retail of fish and fish products.

With regulatory approval in place, Khyber Aquaculture is preparing to introduce fresh, chilled and frozen trout products for household consumers, hotels, restaurants and catering businesses.

The company also plans to open its first branded retail outlet at Karan Nagar in Srinagar, where customers will be able to purchase live, fresh and packaged trout.

Yunus Trumboo, Director of Khyber Aquaculture, said the approval marked an important step in the company's plans to enter organised retail and expand distribution.

"We have invested in building the production and processing infrastructure needed to grow trout at scale. Our focus now is to bring our sustainably farmed, clean and biosecure trout closer to consumers," he said.

Trumboo said the company would introduce Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), which uses a controlled mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to help extend the freshness of packaged fish.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The initial product range will include boneless skin-on portion cuts, Supreme Fillets and trout steaks, followed by ready-to-cook curry cuts and other products.

For hotels, restaurants and catering businesses, the company plans to offer larger packs, including a 3.2-kg pack containing four Supreme Fillets.

According to the company, its packaged trout products will have a chilled shelf life of five to eight days and a frozen shelf life of up to 12 months, subject to prescribed storage and handling conditions.

Khyber Aquaculture said its Ganderbal facility currently has an annual production capacity of 1,200 metric tonnes, with plans to increase capacity to 7,000 metric tonnes.

The processing unit has a stated daily capacity of up to 10 tonnes.

The facility uses Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology and integrates hatchery operations, fish farming, processing and packaging.

The company said it plans to expand its distribution network across Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi-NCR and other northern Indian markets through retail outlets, institutional buyers and e-commerce channels.

Trumboo said the company was also working towards obtaining Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification to support its longer-term plans for entering international markets.(KNS)