Startup SmartGreen Aquaculture opens India’s largest integrated inland RAS trout farm in Hyderabad

New Delhi: SmartGreen Aquaculture (SGA), a pioneering startup based in Hyderabad, has successfully opened India’s largest inland, state-of-the-art premium trout farming facility in Kandukur Mandal, Ranga Reddy District in Telangana.

Breaking geographical barriers, the facility demonstrates that cold-water aquaculture can thrive even in warmer regions like the Deccan Plateau.

The company also announced plans to establish a flexi-scale premium Microalgae Biorefinery on the farm campus, also a skill center for RAS.

Built at an initial cost of around USD 6 Million, the facility will have a total production capacity of 1,200 metric tonnes and is fully based on sustainable Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology, enabling year-round trout production in a controlled, Biosecure indoor environment. The technologically advanced facility features dedicated hatchery units, an indoor grow-out system operated under RAS, on-site processing, cold-chain facilities, with a proprietary online store delivering fresh and value-added trout products directly to consumers.

The first phase of the aquaculture farm with a research institute was inaugurated on Monday by Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj Govt of India, S Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Govt of India, G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Govt of India, George Kurian, Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs, Govt of India.

Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Members of Parliament, Sabitha Indra Reddy, Members of the Legislative Assembly, Govt of Telangana, Prominent dignitaries from the National Fisheries Department, ICAR, IFCI Venture Capital Fund, and well-known aquaculture experts graced this milestone event.

In his address, Union Minister, Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) said “Smart Green Aquaculture is a shining example of the innovation driving our nation’s startup ecosystem. To see them harness advanced technology to farm cold-water fish in a climate like Hyderabad’s is a remarkable achievement. This is the pioneering spirit that will define the future of Indian industry.” He added, Minister Rajeev Ranjan applauded the commitment of Aditya Rithvik, founder, SmartGreen Aquaculture , to build such a world class trout facility, also stated that this trout species has great export potential, from the Government side his ministry will extend all their support , he also urged SmartGreen Aquaculture to pursue exports in a big way

“Trout farming in India has traditionally been limited by geography. Our precision engineered trout farm demonstrates that advanced closed-loop water system aquaculture technologies using RAS successfully brings premium cold-water species like rainbow trout closer to Indian consumers,” said the 31-year-old engineer turned aquaculture startup entrepreneur Aditya Rithvik Narra, Founder and Managing Director, Smart Green Aquaculture. Adding, “Our goal is to contribute towards India’s blue revolution mission, by building a reliable, sustainable, and scalable model for high-value aquaculture species, while ensuring the highest standards of quality and traceability along with a world-class microalgae biorefinery.”

Fully Integrated Farm-to-Consumer Model: Smart Green Aquaculture hatchery spread across 5 acres and the grow-out facility spread across 2 acres employs 200 employees including direct and indirect. The grow-out farm incorporates 44 circular tanks of diameter ranging from 5 to 10 metres diameters, 1.5 metres in depth, operating under a recirculating aquaculture system at average stocking density of 70 kilograms per cubic metre, equating to an annual production capacity of 1,200 MT. Meanwhile, the hatchery has a production capacity of 1.2 million fingerlings per year.

Additionally, the SGA Microalgae Biorefinery, a flexible-scale premium micro-algae cultivation (PMAC) and processing platform, which can produce biomass for nutraceuticals, aquafeed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and sustainable agriculture, is set to be operational by 2026-27.

“By integrating hatcheries, farming, processing, and e-commerce under one roof, we are reducing dependence on imports and intermediaries,” said Aditya. “This allows us to deliver fresher, premium rainbow trout while maintaining strict biosecurity and environmental controls, as well as achieve transparency and traceability.”

Sustainable Inland Aquaculture Using RAS: Unlike traditional open-water farming, the Smart Green farm operates as an inland freshwater farm, recycling and treating water continuously through RAS technology. This significantly reduces water usage, minimizes environmental impact, and ensures consistent water quality critical for sensitive species such as Rainbow trout.

“RAS is the backbone of this project,” added Aditya. “It allows us to farm trout efficiently in a warm-climate region like Hyderabad while maintaining optimal temperatures, oxygen levels, and biosecurity.”

Phased Expansion and Market Focus: The first phase of SGA with an initial production capacity of 360 MT, is nearing ready-to-sales stage, with the second phase scaling up to the full 960 metric tonnes per year. SGA will primarily serve the domestic premium seafood market, targeting retail consumers, hospitality, and institutional buyers through both offline and online channels.

“India’s demand for healthy, high-protein, and responsibly farmed fish is growing rapidly,” said Aditya. “Our online store is designed to make high-quality rainbow trout accessible to consumers who value freshness, nutrition, and transparency and traceability.”

SmartGreen Aquaculture has processing facilities that convert rainbow trout into value-added products such as Fillet, Steak, Skinless, or Degutted, while continuously working to develop new products. Additionally, plans are on the anvil to develop indigenous hatchery capabilities and ensure 100% self-sufficiency in trout egg production by the next phase of development.

Furthermore, the SGA aims to engage local communities in operations, nurture their technical skills, and provide access to a steady income. It has also initiated technology transfer programs to allow small-scale farmers to operate compact aquaculture units under a buy-back arrangement with SGA.

India is the 2^nd largest producer of fish globally, supported by a strong policy framework such as the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana and Blue Economy initiative. The global aquaculture market is valued to grow from USD 296 billion (2023) to USD 421 billion (2030). While the Microalgae Industry is expanding rapidly. It is valued to grow from USD 1.8 billion (2023) to USD 3.5 billion (2030).