Indian ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has developed eco-friendly fish feed using black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meal. Aimed at large-scale commercial production, ICAR-CMFRI transferred this breakthrough technology to Amala Ecoclean, a startup focusing on sustainable waste management and environmental solutions. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Grinson George, director of ICAR-CMFRI and Shri. Joseph Niclavose, Director of Amala Ecoclean. This collaboration will enable the technology to reach fish farmers across India.

According to the research team at the Marine Biotechnology, Fish Nutrition and Health Division of ICAR-CMFRI, the feed is highly effective in maintaining the growth rate of farmed fish species, making it a viable substitute for conventional feed ingredients such as fishmeal and soybean. The feed has been shown to improve the overall feed conversion ratio, potentially resulting in significant cost savings for fish farmers.

As part of the commercialization process, ICAR-CMFRI and Amala Ecoclean will continue to collaborate on further research and development to optimize the feed for various fish species and farming conditions.