Page 25 - FULL YEAR BOOK 2021

Egypt

TILAPIA PRODUCTION BOOMING IN EGYPT, CREATING

OPPORTUNITIES FOR AQUAFEED PRODUCERS

The share of aquaculture in Egypt’s 15 to 20 percent are extruded feeds. And systems,” he said.
total fish production between 2000 and 30 to 40 percent of the feed is comprised
2015 rose from 47 percent to 78.8 percent, of soybean meal, as opposed to more Last year, Skretting launched Nutra for
reaching 1.23 million metric tons (MT). expensive fishmeal, which comprises tilapia, a new product to the Egyptian
Egypt’s government hopes to continue between 5 to 22 percent of feed in the market with distribution soon to be
to increase per capita fish consumption country. And Egypt will continue to rely extended to Kenya, Uganda, Cote
as a means of providing an affordable, on soy for fishfeed moving forward, d’Ivoire, and Mali.
domestically produced protein source to according to the USDA, which estimates
its quickly-growing population of nearly that by the end of 2020, Egypt’s soybean
100 million, according to Alaa Badr, crush capacity will increase to 15,000 “The Nutra range consists of high-
product manager at Skretting Egypt, tons “due to increasing animal feed performance starter diets supporting
an affiliate of Skretting, itself a wholly demand.” first-feeding fry by providing the specific
owned subsidiary of the Netherlands- nutrients and right particle size for each
based feed group Nutreco and a world life stage – from egg to fingerling,” Badr
leader in the manufacture and supply of said.
aquaculture feeds. Skretting has also introduced Protec
for tilapia, which Badr describes as “a
“With 900,000 [MT] of tilapia
harvested annually, Egypt has risen to new functional diet especially designed
become the sixth-largest aquaculture to help support tilapia and enhance their
producer in the world,” Badr said. “A ability to cope with during challenging
significant production peak began in situations, including the hot summer
2005 because of the number of farms seasons.”
that spread alongside the Nile river “Essentially, Protec for tilapia helps
shores in Damietta and Rosetta, and the “By 2020/2021, aquaculture will to support the natural defenses of the
growth is projected to continue as it is a account for 67 percent of the total fish, it supports the immune system and
governmental direction to satisfy Egypt’s growth of soybean meal demand,” the it optimizes the balance between fish,
Vision 2030.” department said. microbes, and environment,” he said.
According to the U.S. Department Growing demand for aquafeed has The future of Egypt’s aquaculture
of Agriculture, the rise in aquaculture created opportunities for companies market, which is overseen by the
production in Egypt is mainly such as Skretting and Aller Aqua, General Authority for Fish Resources
attributed to significant expansion in which have expanded their existing Development, looks very bright,
the application of new technologies manufacturing facilities, opened new according to Badr. That’s especially true
such as the use of extruded feed, water feed plants, and launched new products for the production of Nile tilapia, which
circulation systems, and improved farm specifically tailored to Egypt’s aquafeed Badr said “is the cornerstone of fish
management practices. But the growth of market. Skretting formed an Egyptian farming in Egypt, making it by far the
Egypt’s aquaculture production – which division in 2008. biggest aquaculture producer in Africa.”
is the largest in Africa and outpaces “Skretting Egypt has launched state-of-
producers such as Norway and Chile the-art global products for tilapia, based Nile tilapia is popular with Egyptian
– has triggered huge demand for fish on research and development results fish farmers because of its affordability,
feed, which has largely been met by from the Skretting Aquaculture Research tolerance, to high-density production
importing soybean meal. methods, faster growth rates, resistance
Centre,” Badr said. “The tilapia grower to disease, and love for an omnivorous
“The feed industry estimates that products target higher farm productivity diet, he said.
[Egypt’s] aquaculture feed market and decreased losses, with a focus on
demand will exceed 1.5 million MT flexible ingredients formulation based
annually by 2020,” USDA said. on digestibility.”
The USDA estimates Egypt’s According to Badr, while developing
aquaculture feed market will exceed 1.5 Optiline, Skretting specifically analyzed
million MT by the end of this year, with the the specific nutritional requirements of
country’s more than 70 privately-owned four different life sizes of tilapia, covering
mills expected to produce 90 percent fish from 25 grams to 1,000 grams.
of the total feed output. Currently, 80
to 85 percent of the feed comprises “Skretting’s Optiline feed for grower
conventionally pelleted products, while tilapia delivers balanced nutrition that
supports the different aquaculture
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