May 3, 2018

Egypt aquaculture 'moving up fast'

Aquaculture in Egypt, the world's second-largest producer of tilapia, is growing rapidly.

This is according to Tim O'Keefe, aquaculture and feed milling consultant at the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC), who was impressed with the country's culture of high-value species such as sea bass, sea bream and mullet during a three-day visit last month.

O'Keefe said Egypt, which is a market for US soy, "is on the move", adding that its aquafeed requirements are projected to be 2,600,000 tonnes per year by 2028.

Egypt's current average inclusion rate of soy in aquafeed is 20%, with more than 90% US soybean meal or meal that is locally produced from US beans, USSEC said.

At this rate, aquafeed will require at least 500,000 tonnes of soybean meal per year.

O'Keefe said this average inclusion rate of soy could easily increase to 35%, equal to more than 900,000 tonnes per year.

According to the USSEC, Egypt currently has 34 small- to medium-sized mills producing aquafeed, with annual aquafeed production at 511,000 tonnes. Sixty percent of this feed is extruded and 40% is pelleted.