Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, as pressure on wild fish stocks rises to meet the demand of a billion people who rely on fish as their primary protein source. In fact, a recent study concluded that aquaculture production must grow as much as 100% by 2030 to satisfy demand.

According to an article by the U.S. Grains Council, this growth in the aquaculture industry encourages diversification in feed ingredients, including dried distillers grains with solubles, and presents an opportunity for U.S. DDGS producers.

The Council recently held a conference in Singapore to explore long-term options for the industry there, since Asia accounts for nearly 90% of the world\'s aquaculture production.

Kevin Roepke, the Council\'s regional director of South and Southeast Asia, was quoted in the Council\'s newsletter as saying the aquaculture industry \"needs to move on from using large amounts of rendered wild fish for feeds and transition to using a suite of plant-based proteins and ingredients sources.\"

Roepke\'s message was that instead of using fish meal, which is the primary protein source, the industry should use imported U.S. feed ingredients.

\"It\'s a case study in comparative advantage,\" Roepke said in the article.

\"Yet the challenge facing the industry is finding a production system that is environmentally friendly, consumer-oriented and economically viable.\"

Challenges for the growing industry include sustainability, as the traditional commodity protein source, trash fish, has a poor environmental track record amid concerns about overfishing. Trash fish are often immature fish that could be commercially caught if allowed to grow larger.

Roepke commented, \"Fish is the world\'s most valuable exported food commodity with a total worth greater than that of corn, soybeans and beef combined. Its role in achieving global food security cannot be overlooked.\\\"

Source: The Progressive Farmer