Disqualified to go abroad, Moktan achieves success in trout farming

By Anil Parajuli,Hetauda, Jan. 30: Krishna Bahadur Moktan, a farmer of Kholaghari in Thaha Municipality-5, Makawanpur, has earned a good income by trout rearing.

He has been earning millions of rupees annually by farming kiwi and vegetables along with fishery. 

He has started commercial fishery farming by building a 9-section pond (raceway) for trout farming in an area of two ropanis of land with an investment of Rs. 6 million since 2020.

By registering a firm ‘Unique Agricultural Firm’, he has raised 5,000 rainbow trout and 7,000 locally available Aasala fish.

Moktan, who once lived in Kathmandu and worked as a driver, had returned to his own village to do something after failing a medical examination to go to Saudi Arabia for foreign employment. 

“I used to drive in Kathmandu. After the advice from a friend of Nuwakot, I returned to my village and started farming. A friend from Kavrepalanchowk also provided me with technical assistance for fish farming,” he said. 

Moktan, who won the ward member in the 2074 local elections, won the ward member election again and is currently working as the acting ward chairman after Ward Chairman going on a foreign trip for six months. 

He said that he started rainbow trout fish farming because the water from the community forest in his area was found to be suitable for trout fish farming when it was checked in Godawari in Kathmandu. 

According to him, he started trout farming with some of his own money and a loan from a cooperative.

He said that a kg of fish is being sold at Rs. 1,500.

He said that he has been producing and selling around 1,700 kg of fish annually and has been making a turnover of Rs. 2.5 million. 

He said that after deducting all expenses, he earns an annual income of Rs. 1.2 million.

The fish produced here is consumed in Hetauda, Kathmandu and locally in Daman, Palung and Simbhanjyang. 

“There is no market problem, if we can produce it, it will be sold. People usually come to the farm to buy fish. If there is demand, we also supply it to the other market,” he said. 

Three people are getting employment in his trout farm and kiwi farming.

He has also used the water flowing from the fish pond to operate a watermill. 

He said that he is working in agriculture sector with the aim of promoting local tourism by building a resort in the future.

Similarly, he has planted kiwi fruit in 8 ropanis of barren and waste land and has also built five poly tunnels for vegetable farming. 

Similarly, he has been earning additional around Rs. 700,000 annually by cultivating vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, radish and potatoes in 20 ropanis of land.