Netherlands seeks investors for fish feed plants in Ghana

The Netherlands Embassy in Ghana is recommending that its government takes steps to increase local feed production to aid the growth and economic potential of the fish farming industry in Ghana.
A recent study on the aquaculture sector in Ghana found that there is great potential for the tilapia farming industry. However, there is only one local fish feed manufacturer. Most fish feed is imported, which increases production costs.
"I think definitely there is an opportunity to invest in a local production plant for fish feed because there is only one or two plants that produce fish feed," First Secretary at the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana Thierry Van Helden said in a report.
The Netherlands Embassy is trying to lure investors from its country to explore opportunities in Ghana’s aquaculture sector.
"We want to stimulate Dutch companies to invest in the aquaculture sector in Ghana and to increase trade in that area so we can modernize and professionalize the sector to a higher level," Van Helden said.
The aquaculture sector contributes 3 percent to Ghana’s gross domestic product annually.

Aller Aqua Group opens fish feed factory in Egypt

Aller Aqua Group has completed construction on its new fish feed factory in Egypt.
According to the company, the factory is Egypt’s largest and most modern production of environmentally friendly, extruded fish feed.
“The momentum we have managed to create in Egypt since 2011 creates the basis for this extraordinary expansion, giving us the opportunity to triple sales,” said Henrik Halken, chairman of Aller Aqua Egypt.
Aller Aqua has experienced continuous growth. Besides a factory in Christiansfeld, Denmark, it built a factory in Poland in 2001 and in Germany in 2007. Besides a modern fish feed factory, the latter further consists of a factory for the production of protein derived from peas and broad beans.
Hans Erik Bylling, majority shareholder and managing director in the Aller Aqua Group, said the company now sells its fish feed to more than 50 countries worldwide.
“We have a clear and concise strategy in Aller Aqua, designed to create further growth over the coming years – and investments like the one in Egypt is one of the tools to reach our targets, as well as the continued growth in existing and new markets,” he said. “Aquaculture is today the fastest growing food sector – and more than half of the fish consumed globally are farmed fish. Thus we focus on growing our activities in several of the world’s emerging markets.”

BioMar, Sagun form joint venture fish feed company

The BioMar Group and the Sagun Group have formed a joint venture fish feed company in Turkey. The joint venture will establish a fish feed factory, which is expected to begin operations at the end of 2015. The factory will supply fish feed to Turkey and neighboring countries.
Turkey is the second-largest aquaculture nation in Europe after Norway. The growing market requires more efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly diets and production methods.
“BioMar is well known for delivering high-performance fish feed with a sustainable profile, and it has an outstanding technical customer service,” said Ahmet Tuncay Sagun, president of the Sagun Group.

Typhoon Haiyan causes severe agriculture, fisheries damage

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is mobilizing support to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which tore through the country causing severe damage to the fisheries and agriculture sectors in addition to massive loss of life.
"I want to express the solidarity of FAO and myself personally with the people and the Government of the Philippines," said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva. "The super typhoon Haiyan has left a trail of destruction and thousands of lives have been lost. The devastation caused in the country, including in the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, puts the lives and livelihoods of many more at risk and can have a wider effect on the food supply chain and food security."
The organization will do everything it can to support the Government of the Philippines in the reconstruction process and to build resilience, said Graziano da Silva. The FAO called for $24 million for immediate interventions in fisheries and agriculture as part of the UN-coordinated humanitarian Flash Appeal. The organization has already mobilized more than $1 million from its own resources.
"Although there is not a clear picture yet of the impact on the agriculture sector, it is evident that the damage is extensive," said Dominique Burgeon, director of the FAO's Emergency and Rehabilitation Division. The typhoon hit just at the beginning of the main rice-planting season, and the FAO estimates that over 1 million farmers have been affected and hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice destroyed.
Severe impacts on coconut production in affected areas are expected, and there has also been wide-scale destruction to storage facilities and rural infrastructure. Along the coast the storm surge wiped out many fishing communities, demolishing boats and gear.
As part of the FAO's immediate response to the crisis, the organization has deployed emergency response staff and will use the $1 million already mobilized to cover immediate needs such as seeds and fertilizers. An initial total of $24 million will be needed for emergency and rehabilitation efforts including rehabilitation of storage and irrigation facilities and support to fishing communities.
The organization will carry out a full assessment of the damage caused to the agriculture and fisheries sectors as soon as the situation on the ground allows. Some 9.5 million people have been affected by the typhoon, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Nutreco revenue up in third quarter 2011

Nutreco's revenue came in at €1.54 billion (US$2.14 billion) in the third quarter of 2011, a 14.6% increase over 2010 numbers, according to the company's latest financial report.
Of this increase, 11.7% was due to higher selling prices, related to higher raw materials prices which were passed through. A volume increase of 3.5% was driven by the growth in fish feed, according to the company. Revenue in fish feed increased 19% in the third quarter of 2011 compared to 2010, mainly due to a volume growth of 12.3%. The price effect was 5.3%. Salmon feed volumes increased due to strong performance in Norway and a recovery in Chile.
Overall, Nutreco said its strategic agenda includes capitalizing on its leading fish feed positions and diversifying by expanding in new regions and into feed for shrimp in other species. It also hopes to focus on markets in China, Brazil and Russia, and sell as develop sustainable businesses in Western Europe and North America.

Skretting closes production in Ireland

Due to significant fall in demand for salmon feed year-on-year in the Irish market, Skretting, a producer and supplier of feed for farmed fish, is closing its production and administration facility in Westport, Ireland.
The company is starting a consultation period regarding the cessation of production at Westport in the near future and the transfer of feed production for the Irish market to Skretting‘s manufacturing plants in the UK. The company said this will result in 22 redundant positions in Ireland and a number of redundancies in joint services based in the UK.