July 2, 2026
 

Thailand eyes blackchin tilapia as feed ingredient to tackle invasive species crisis

The Agriculture Ministry is in discussions with feed manufacturers to expand commercial uptake of the fast-growing invasive fish as a raw material, beyond current small-scale use in food and feed production.

Thailand's Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry is preparing to hold formal discussions with animal feed producers to increase the use of blackchin tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron) as a feed ingredient, as the government seeks sustainable long-term solutions to an invasive species outbreak that has spread through waterways across the country.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Watcharapol Khaokhom said on 25 June that several private companies are already purchasing blackchin tilapia from affected farmers for use as a feed raw material, and that the ministry intends to expand this channel through coordinated engagement with the feed manufacturing sector. Both large and small feed producers have participated in the existing purchasing arrangements, according to Watcharapol.

The ministry's management framework for the species covers three measures: preventing further spread, controlling and reducing population density, and channelling captured fish into productive uses. Current utilisation includes processing into fermented fish products and animal feed ingredients, with the ministry aiming to broaden applications through research and development in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.

The government also plans to open additional purchasing points for farmers affected by the invasion, though Watcharapol said strict verification measures would be required to prevent fraud, given the species' rapid growth rate which could make farmed fish difficult to distinguish from wild-caught specimens. Remaining budget from a prior government allocation is available to fund the purchasing programme.

Watcharapol said expanding commercial utilisation - rather than relying solely on eradication - is the government's preferred pathway to sustainable control of the blackchin tilapia population.