Photo: Asia-Plus
In Tajikistan, more than 2 thousand tons of fish were caught in the first half of 2025, which is 12% more than in the same period last year.
According to the Agency of Statistics under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the main volume of production fell on the reservoirs of the Khatlon region, where most of the farms are traditionally concentrated.
In January-July 2025, the total volume of fish products produced reached 61.2 million somoni, which is 19.6% higher than last year.
The total fish catch was 2,021.4 tons. Khatlon region accounted for more than half of this volume (about 1.1 thousand tons). 481 tons were produced in Sughd region, and about 426 tons were produced in Vakhdat (hydraulic fracturing).
Among the main types of fish farmed in Tajikistan, the leaders are carp – 690 tons, trout – 419 tons, white amur – 236 tons and carp – 219 tons. The total production volume of other fish species amounted to 447 tons.
The increase in production is associated with an increase in the number of farms and the introduction of new aquaculture technologies. Today, there are more than 300 fish farms in the country.
Despite the positive indicators, the industry is facing a number of challenges. The productivity of fishing basins has almost halved in three decades: from 30-35 quintals per hectare in the 1990s to 15-16 quintals today. The main reasons are the shortage of animal feed, the deterioration of water supply systems and equipment, as well as the degradation of some reservoirs. Experts note that improving the condition of ponds and infrastructure would increase productivity by 20-30% and reduce additional costs.
Steady growth in fish production is projected in Tajikistan: in 2026, production will amount to 6.6 thousand tons, which is 8% more than in 2025; in 2027, production will increase to 7.2 thousand tons, showing an increase of 9% compared to the previous year; and in 2028, production is expected to reach 7.8 thousand tons, which is 9.2% above the level of 2027.
For the development of the fish farming industry in the republic, 1,300 natural lakes, 8 reservoirs and 385 fish farms with a total area of about 76 thousand hectares are used, of which 73.3 thousand hectares are reservoirs and 2.6 thousand hectares are fish ponds.
