Royale Highlands Trout Farm on the Katse Dam in Lesotho has reached 300 tones of farmed trout per annum which firmly establishes it as a sustainable and successful aquaculture operation. The brand has been supplied nationally to Woolworths, the premium retailer in Southern Africa and has fast accelerated into being their most successful fish line in the deli section; a first for Lesotho and something the company’s founding directors are extremely proud of.
Greg Stubbs, the father of aquaculture in Africa credits this to the integrity and dedication that Royale Highlands Trout has demonstrated in managing the cold chain and traceability of their providence products. Low stocking densities, perfect water, quality food and dedicated local staff has contributed to a fish that is identical to wild trout in taste with all the recognized health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Greg realizes that; “Knowing the journey your food travels, is a growing appreciation amongst the discerning consumer and is critical for both Woolworths and Royale Highlands Trout”.
Fellow director, Stephen Phakisi believes the farm’s success will spark major development for the region. “It was a dream come true to introduce aquaculture into Lesotho; we are now focusing on the establishment of upstream & downstream industries that have not been present in our country before.”
A corner-stone of Royale Highlands Trout’s ethos is to directly contribute to the community that share the water’s of Katse Dam. Ha Lejone Village Chief, Mamphole Molapo believes the farm has added enormous value to their community. “Going forward, we hope that the Katse Fish Farm will be able to expand and employ more people. As the chief of the village, this would be a great achievement.”
The role-players in Royale Highlands Trout have many years of experience working in Lesotho and have been responsible in attracting over 200 million rand into the kingdom. They are committed to further invest in the people and infrastructure of Lesotho.
Royale Highlands Trout is part of an international movement to supply farmed fish into the world’s fastest growing segment of food production. The farm represents one of the most efficient and sustainable farming practices on the planet; as trout are able to convert 1kg of food into almost 1kg of protein, something no land based farmed animal is capable of.
Royale Highlands Trout is preparing to develop an off-site hatchery and a processing plant in Maseru which will require a further 120 full time employees and will continue to develop local skills. The company intends to establish a tradition of aquaculture that could represent significant benefits for the mountain kingdom.
“Royale Highlands Trout’s vision is to utilize modern aquaculture in order to preserve the oceans diminishing resources. By practicing international best-practice and responsible farm management, we can reach the world’s future demands of fresh seafood”.
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