Challenges of aquafeed formulation in Asia

Aquafeed formulation in Asia has traditionally been conservative, according to Brett Glencross, Technical Director of IFFO, the marine ingredients organization.

He elaborated, many aquafeed producers in the region treat aquafeed more like a recipe than a formulation, and they have been difficult to persuade to change.

“That said, there has been some progress, particularly where technological awareness has increased. There is growing recognition that it is about nutrients, not just ingredients,” he said as reported by Aqua Feed’s Lucia Barreiro.

Regulatory barriers

Regulatory barriers further complicate matters, Mr. Glencross revealed. In countries like Thailand, outdated government mandates on nutrient levels, based on trials from the 1980s, continue to constrain innovation.

“Thailand still mandates minimum protein levels, even though modern nutrition science shows we can vary protein and energy levels depending on life stage. For example, Asian seabass require over 50% protein early in life, but this can be reduced during grow-out. Instead of adjusting fat levels for energy, Thai feed producers often increase starch, which carnivorous species like seabass can’t effectively utilize, leading to poor growth,” he explained.

Lack of reliable digestibility data

Another significant hurdle is the lack of reliable digestibility data, particularly for locally sourced ingredients. This forces formulators to rely on outdated or inconsistent ‘book values’, according to Mr. Glencross.

“You can measure crude protein or fat easily, but digestible values are harder to assess. If you are using consistent ingredients like soy concentrate or fishmeal, you can manage variability. But if you are sourcing from diverse, cost-driven markets, you introduce high variability. This means a 40% crude protein feed could deliver 35% or even just 30% digestible protein, drastically affecting growth,” he said.

Aligning research with practice

China, despite its scientific capacity, also illustrates the challenge of aligning research with practice, Mr. Glencross stated.

“China now imports roughly half of the world’s fishmeal. While the global average inclusion rate has dropped from 25% to 10% over the last two decades, in China, it has remained flat, between 5% and 10%. So, as production has scaled up, their fishmeal use has exploded, not because inclusion rates increased, but because formulations haven’t changed,” he explained.

“There’s world-class nutrition science happening in China, but it’s not being adopted effectively at the industry level.”

Emerging sustainability concerns and the diversity of the aquafeed sector further complicate formulation advancements in Asia. While there is increasing awareness of the environmental impact of traditional fishmeal and fish oil usage, the transition to alternative protein ingredients remains limited due to high costs, supply inconsistency, and lack of standardized nutritional data.

Additionally, the aquafeed industry in Asia is often fragmented, with a large number of small-to-medium enterprises that have limited resources and technical expertise to invest in research-driven feed formulation or to adopt novel ingredients and technologies swiftly.

Coupled with the uneven knowledge transfer from research institutions to commercial producers, this leads to slow uptake of improved practices and perpetuates reliance on outdated methods. Strengthening industry capacity through targeted training programs and fostering collaborations between academia, feed manufacturers, and government regulators will be critical to overcoming these barriers and driving sustainable and efficient aquafeed formulation in the region.

Addressing these persistent challenges is crucial for advancing the aquafeed industry in Asia. To equip professionals with the latest knowledge and practical skills needed to overcome these hurdles, consider joining the Aqua Feed Milling Management Training. This intensive program will take place from 18–21 November 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, offering invaluable insights into modern aquafeed production.

Limited seats available – Register now to secure your spot.