Sinking Fish Feed Market is Anticipated to Witness High Growth Owing to Increasing Demand for Aquaculture

The sinking fish feed market has seen significant growth in recent years. Sinking fish feed is specially formulated pellets or granules that sink rapidly to the bottom of fishponds or cages and therefore keep the feed near the mouths of bottom-feeding fish. They are comprised of protein-rich ingredients like fishmeal and soymeal along with essential vitamins and minerals to provide fish with necessary nutrients for proper growth. Sinking fish feed improves feed conversion ratio as less feed is wasted and ensures fish have continuous access to nutrition. The global aquaculture industry has been expanding exponentially to meet rising seafood demand and sinking fish feed allows for higher stocking densities in culture systems.

Key Takeaways

Key players operating in the sinking fish feed market are Admera Health, Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies, Novartis AG, Dynamic DNA Laboratories, Empire Genomics, LLC., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Illumina, Inc., OneOme, LLC, Myriad Genetics Inc., OPKO Health, Inc. (GeneDx.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., and AltheaDx. These players are focusing on new product launches and expansion strategies to gain market share. For instance, in 2021, Biomar launched a new sinking pellet specifically designed for pangasius farming.

The increasing demand for aquaculture products along with rising per capita fish consumption presents lucrative growth opportunities for players in the Sinking Fish Feed Market Demand. Additionally, expansion of aquaculture farms in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa driven by supportive government policies will drive market growth.

Key players are exploring opportunities in global markets through partnerships, mergers and acquisitions. For example, in 2020, Cargill acquired Ewos to expand its aquaculture business worldwide including fish feed production. This acquisition strengthened Cargill's presence across major salmon and shrimp farming regions.

Market drivers:

One of the major market drivers is the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. Aquaculture production has been increasing globally at over 6% annually to meet the demand for seafood which is expected to grow to 104 million tonnes by 2030 according to the FAO. Sinking fish feed is indispensable for commercial aquafarming.

Another key driver is the ban on phosphates in fish feed in the EU. Phosphates can harm the aquatic environment if released in uneaten feed. Sinking fish feed reduces wastage and the associated environmental impact. Several countries have also implemented regulations to promote the use of sinking fish feed.

Market restraints:

One of the key challenges is the high cost of fishmeal and fish oil which are major ingredients in sinking fish feed. Fluctuating prices of these ingredients can negatively impact manufacturers' margins.

Availability issues regarding high-quality raw materials is another restraint. Fishmeal supply is under pressure due to overfishing of small pelagic fish stocks used for direct human consumption and feed production. Alternatives to fishmeal are still being researched.

Segment Analysis

The sinking fish feed market is segmented based on fish type into tilapia, salmon, carp, trout and others. The tilapia sub-segment presently dominates the market owing to higher demand for tilapia fish globally. Tilapia has a growing popularity as an affordable fish with higher protein content. Its popularity is further increasing among health-conscious consumers.

Global Analysis

Regionally, the Asia Pacific region presently accounts for the largest share in the sinking fish feed market and is expected to maintain its dominating position during the forecast period. This is largely due to rising aquaculture activities in key countries like China, India and Indonesia. China, being the largest producer of aquaculture products globally, is a major driving factor for the APAC market. North America is anticipated to emerge as the fastest growing market for sinking fish feed between 2024-2031. Robust research and development initiatives for development of novel and nutrient-rich fish feed coupled with surging demand for seafood in the US and Canada is strengthening the market growth in North America.

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