The use of aquaculture feeds in Bangladesh has grown substantially in the past few years, and now over 1 million tonnes of commercial pelleted feed are being formulated for use by aquaculture farmers. An estimated further 0.4 million tonnes of locally-formulated and processed diets are also being prepared by small village-based feed-making enterprises. Rapid growth in use of formulated feeds has helped many aquaculture farmers intensify production, but at the same time has raised a number of issues including feed quality, feed management efficiency and environmental sustainability. A study conducted during 2012 within the context of the WorldFish/USAID “Feed the Future- Aquaculture” project was specifically intended to provide guidance and direction on investments required in the feed sector of Bangladesh to support sustainable growth of aquaculture. Its main objectives were to understand: 1. value chains for fish feeds in Bangladesh, and the roles and interactions amongst various a See full list on thefishsite.com The research team used various assessment tools—including FGD (focus group discussion), in-depth interviews, individual and key informant interviews with semi-structured questionnaires—to collect information from different stakeholders along the value chain. Information from each actor was validated by other actors relative to backward and forward value chain linkages. Secondary information from various sources was collected and reviewed. Life cycle analysis was conducted to understand the environmental dimensions of feed production within the country. Findings from the research were presented to a workshop of more than 50 participants, representing a range of stakeholders involved in aquaculture feeds throughout Bangladesh. WorldFish hosted the workshop on 4 April 2013 at the Hotel Lake Castle in Dhaka; feedback and suggestions from workshop participants were incorporated into this paper. See full list on thefishsite.com Fish feed value chains Fish feed production and use in Bangladesh aquaculture has increased dramatically in the past 5 years, with an estimated 1 million tonnes of commercially formulated pelleted feed produced, and between 0.3 and 0.4 million tonnes of feeds produced by micro- and small-enterprises at village level. Feeding of fish with formulated diets has contributed to increasing intensity of production of major fish species such as Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Pangas (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), cli... Fish feed ingredients and formulation The main ingredients used for fish feed production are rice bran (20–50 per cent inclusion), maize (5–20 per cent inclusion), soybean meal (10–30 per cent inclusion), mustard oil cake (10–25 per cent inclusion), fish meal (5–15 per cent inclusion) and meat and bone meal (10–20 per cent inclusion). Rice bran is mainly produced locally, and is derived from rice milling. It accounts for 7–8 per cent of unmilled paddy grain by weight. Three types of rice bran are used: de-oiled rice bran (DORB),... Fish feed production and market trends Use of formulated feeds for fish farming is increasing in Bangladesh, associated with growth and intensification and commercialization of aquaculture. It seems that commercial pelleted feeds are starting to replace ‘farm-made’ and ‘raw’ unformulated feeds. As indicated by Figure 3, production of commercial feeds has increased at an average rate of 32 per cent per year over the period 2008–2012, and has reached an estimated total of almost 1.07 million tonnes in 2012. Sinking feeds, which acco... See full list on thefishsite.com Fifty stakeholders met in Dhaka on 4 April 2013 to review the major findings and recommendations from the research. Participants in the workshop provided feedback covering a wide range of issues. Farmers stressed the need for better access to credit for feed purchase and the need for improved knowledge of different feeding and culture practices. Feed producers identified a range of problems, including: 1. the need to find alternative power sources to reduce high fuel costs for feed mill operation; 2. the need for methods to control ingredient adulteration and maintain feed quality; 3. the fluctuation of feed ingredient availability and prices resulting in the use of lower quality alternative raw materials; 4. lack of knowledge among feed mill nutritionists on balanced feed formulations and the need to improve feed quality and efficiency; 5. the need for training for feed mill engineers to increase machine operation efficiency, and enable them to troubleshoot and select good quality... See full list on thefishsite.com The growth of both commercial aquaculture and commercial fish feed production in Bangladesh over the past 10 years has been significant, and there is considerable room for further expansion of both sectors over the medium to long term, given a growing population with rising incomes and strong cultural preferences for fish consumption. This represents a major strength and opportunity for the feed sector. However, the industry is also confronted by a number of weaknesses and threats. These include the volatile political situation, lack of knowledge on raw material quality, feed formulation, machine operation and selection, a high dependency on imported raw materials, limited implementation of legislation on feeds, and ongoing market consolidation likely to reduce competitiveness in the long run. The rate of expansion in the production and uptake of manufactured feeds has been so rapid that the industry has yet to mature. It is likely that considerable consolidation will take place ove... See full list on thefishsite.com
