February 25, 2008

US state Indiana witness growing interest in aquaculture

There is a chance that aquaculture could expand in US state Indiana due to growing interest, as Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) prepares to capitalise on this.

ISA sponsored Financing Aquaculture Conference on Friday, which attracted almost a hundred producers.

Steve Hart, director of ISA's aquaculture program, said it indicates a growing interest in fish farming in Indiana. They receive calls almost daily, some of which are new producers wanting more information while others are established fish farmers looking to expand, Hart said.

The Conference was meant to give interested producers the tools they need to assess whether fish farming is suitable for them. Laura Tiu, an aquaculture specialist and a presenter at the conference, said several hog and poultry producers are considering to take up aquaculture.

However, Tiu warns that fish farming is a risky business that requires planning and research. She urged producers to begin with small homemade systems to judge if they like the business and if they can be successful in growing and marketing their fish.

Financing is also a problem, as there are few lenders who would extend credit for the setting up of an aquaculture operation, yet there is a demand. Indiana is located close to many major urban centres that sought fresh fish products.

Skepticism also remains as to how Indiana's fish farmers could compete with low-priced frozen imports from China and Southeast Asia.

The Soybean Alliance sees this as a new market for soy-based feed, Hart said. The organisation feels it is an under utilised market and it is sponsoring research to increase the amount of soymeal in fish feed, he added.