Aquaculture Procurement Hub

Aqua feed procurement: high-density protein, marine oils and functional additives

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing animal protein sector, but feed cost is 50-70% of farm-gate price and marine ingredient supply is capped by wild-catch quotas. Buyers need a mix of certified fish meal / oil, plant proteins, insect and single-cell proteins, plus binders and functional additives — all traceable to responsible fisheries. FeedMatch runs comparative tenders across the alternative-protein supply chain.

Browse ingredient directory

Economic benchmarks

Salmon FCR

1.15 – 1.30

Shrimp FCR

1.3 – 1.6

Tilapia FCR

1.5 – 1.8

Feed cost share

50 – 70%

of farm-gate price

Primary markets

≈ 55 M tonnes farmed aquatic animals — feeds are ≈ 50 M tonnes / yr

ChinaNorwayChileVietnamIndiaEcuadorTurkeyEgypt

Procurement challenges we solve

Fish meal / oil supply capped by IFFO responsible-sourcing quotas
Replacing marine ingredients with insect meal, SCP, algae without hurting growth
Anti-nutritional factors (SBM saponins, gossypol) in juvenile fish
Pellet water stability, sinking / floating physical quality
Traceability for ASC, BAP, GlobalG.A.P. certified feed

Recommended ingredient basket

Fish meal — LT & prime

Marine protein reference — 8-25% inclusion depending on species / stage

Fish oil (EPA/DHA)

Essential omega-3 supply — 4-15% inclusion

Soybean meal (SPC)

Plant protein backbone — 15-25% inclusion

Insect meal (BSF)

Emerging alternative — up to 15% for salmonids / shrimp

Single-cell / algae protein

Sustainable substitute — 5-10% inclusion

Feed program by stage

Reference stages nutritionists use when specifying rations. FeedMatch quotes ingredients for every phase.

Stage	Duration	Nutrient target	Focus	Key ingredients
Salmon smolt starter	Freshwater phase	50 – 55% CP	Rapid growth, low mortality, EPA/DHA supply	Fish meal LT, Fish oil, Krill / squid meal, SPC
Salmon grow-out	Seawater phase	40 – 45% CP	Feed cost efficiency, flesh colour (astaxanthin)	Fish meal, Fish oil / rapeseed oil, SPC, Insect meal
Shrimp PL / starter	PL10 – 5g	38 – 42% CP	Attractability, water stability, growth uniformity	Fish meal, Squid meal, Krill meal, Wheat gluten
Shrimp grow-out	5g – harvest	32 – 35% CP	FCR, disease resistance, environmental impact	Fish meal ≤ 15%, Soybean meal, Wheat, Functional additives
Tilapia grower	50 – 500g	28 – 32% CP	Least-cost formulation, floating pellet quality	Soybean meal, Corn, Fish meal ≤ 5%, Wheat flour binder

Quality & certifications

Every offer normalised on feed-safety standards

IFFO RS (Responsible Supply) for marine ingredients

ASC-MSC / BAP feed standards

GMP+ B2 / FEMAS

GlobalG.A.P. Compound Feed Manufacturers

Frequently asked questions

How can I reduce fish meal in salmon feed without losing growth?›

Modern salmon diets can operate at 10-15% fish meal by combining soy protein concentrate, insect meal (BSF larvae), single-cell protein and precise EAA / taurine supplementation. FeedMatch RFQs blends across certified alternative-protein suppliers.

What certifications should aqua feed ingredients carry?›

IFFO RS for marine ingredients; ProTerra or RTRS for soy; ASC / BAP feed standard for finished feeds; and GMP+ B2 / FEMAS for feed-safety systems. Insect meal must be produced from Cat. 2/3 approved substrates in the EU.

Do you source shrimp-specific ingredients?›

Yes — krill meal, squid meal, hydrolysed fish protein, functional peptides, immunostimulants (β-glucans, MOS) and pigment sources (astaxanthin) are all part of our shrimp RFQ catalog.