Marine ingredients supply hit hard by loss of Peruvian anchovies
Fishmeal production down by 28%, fish oil by 24%, in first eight months of 2023
Cumulative total fishmeal production by countries considered in marine ingredients organisation IFFO’s reports was down by approximately 28% during the first eight months of 2023 compared to the cumulative production reported through August 2022.
IFFO’s figures cover Peru, Chile, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, UK, Ireland and Faroe Islands, USA, South Africa, Ivory Coast and Mauritius, and Spain.
The predominant factor contributing to this decline must be attributed to the 70% year-on-year decrease in Peru, said IFFO. In June, El Niño conditions caused the cancellation of Peru’s first anchovy fishing season, which is key for fish meal and oil supply.
Chile bucks the trend
Total cumulative output of fish oil in the first eight months of 2023 was down 24% compared to the same period in 2022, said IFFO. Chile was the only country that registered a positive change year-on-year thanks to healthier catches and higher-than-average oil yields in the south of the country.
Meanwhile, in China the aquaculture supply chain is currently grappling with increasing feed costs and weakened consumption of aquatic products, reported IFFO. This can be attributed to the unstable global supply of feed ingredients and falling farm-gate prices for many species, stemming from unforeseen shifts in domestic demand.
