Nearly four years after the devastating floods of 2022 ravaged Swat Valley, trout fish farmers are still struggling to rebuild an industry that once provided livelihoods to thousands of families and served as a major attraction for tourists visiting the scenic region.
The climate-induced floods destroyed around 300 trout farms across Swat, washing away fish stocks and damaging critical infrastructure.
The disaster forced many farm owners and workers to abandon their businesses and seek alternative sources of income elsewhere.
What was once a thriving aquaculture industry now faces an uncertain future, with only a handful of farms resuming operations despite persistent efforts by owners to revive their businesses.
“Out of around 300 trout farms destroyed in the 2022 floods, only about 15 have become operational again, and that too on a limited scale,” said Naqeebullah, whose farm on Cheel Road in Madyan suffered extensive damage during the calamity.
To restart his business, Naqeebullah sold a piece of family land and invested the proceeds in rebuilding the farm. However, his current production remains far below pre-flood levels.
“Before the floods, I used to rear around 20,000 kilograms of trout and operated nine large and six small ponds. Now I have only four ponds and a stock of about 8,000 kilograms,” he said.
According to Naqeebullah, the fish currently being reared at his farm are still in the growth stage and are expected to be ready for sale by December 2026.
Another farmer, Usman, lost six trout farms and all of his fish stock in the floods. To restart operations, he sold a family-owned shop in a commercial area of Swat and managed to reopen only one farm in Madyan on a small scale.
Farmers say financial constraints remain the biggest obstacle to recovery. Most are unable to construct flood-protection walls or invest in modern infrastructure, leaving them vulnerable to future disasters.
“The fear of another flood is always there,” Naqeebullah said. “Without protective infrastructure, our farms remain exposed to the same risks that devastated us in 2022.”
The challenges have been compounded by a sharp rise in fish feed prices. Many local feed producers have either reduced or ceased production due to declining demand following the destruction of farms.
As a result, the price of a 25-kilogram bag of trout feed has increased from around Rs2,500 before the floods to nearly Rs7,000, forcing farmers to purchase feed from markets in Punjab.
“Earlier, fish feed was readily available in Swat and nearby areas. Now we have to source it from outside the province, which further increases our production costs,” he said.
The reduced number of operational farms has also driven up fish prices. The retail price of uncooked trout has risen from around Rs.800 to1,100 per kilogram before the floods to nearly Rs.2,500 per kilogram.
Similarly, the price of fried trout served at restaurants and roadside eateries has increased from around Rs.1,500 to Rs.3,500 per kilogram.
Farmers say the steep rise in prices has affected consumer demand and reduced one of the key attractions for hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit Swat every year.
Naqeebullah urged the government to support the revival of trout farming through interest-free loans, compensation packages and the construction of flood-protection infrastructure.
“If the trout farming sector is not supported and rehabilitated, Swat could lose one of its most important sources of livelihood, tourism and economic activity,” he warned.