September 21, 2006

UK organic farmers urged to produce oilseeds for fish feed

Organic farmers in the UK have been urged to start growing oilseeds to supply the organic fish market, widely touted to be the next money-maker on the block.

Speaking at the Colloquium of Organic Researchers (COR) in Edinburgh, Hugh Raven, Soil Association Scotland Director, said the search for vegetable oils to feed fish represents a big opportunity for UK organic farmers.

The Soil Association is a global organic standards body.

Salmon, the most popular fish in the UK fish farming industry, require high levels of oil in their diet. Instead of using fish oil, which strains the fish stock and is itself contaminated with industrial pollutants, there could be a shift towards oilseeds, Raven said. 

While the Soil Association wants to change their standards to require a partial substitution of fish oil in organic fish diets to be replaced by organic vegetable oils, few people are producing them.

The premium prices offered for organic vegetable oils and the size of the potential market should prove to be a draw for organic farmers. Profits aside, the Soil Association acknowledges there is a still a need for more research into the practical aspects of farming organic oilseeds.