Total fishmeal production for January 2025 increased by approximately 75% compared to the same month in 2024, according to the latest analysis from marine ingredients organisation IFFO. This increase, it said, was primarily influenced by a 300% increase in the Peruvian output.
Chile, the US, Spain and African countries also reported a positive trend in fishmeal production compared to January 2024.
Meanwhile, January’s total fish oil output was up 71% year-on-year, again mainly driven by Peru.
The other regions also reported an increased fish oil production compared to January 2024, with the exception of the North European countries.
IFFO’s numbers are based on statistics shared by its members in Chile, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Norway, the UK, the US, Peru, South Africa and Spain, which account for 40% of global fishmeal production and 50% of the fish oil output.
The organization also highlighted that according to the China Feed Industry Association (CFIA), aquafeed production in 2024 decreased by 3.5% year-on-year and domestic aquafeed sales in 2024 decreased by approximately 10%. This decline was primarily driven by unfavourable weather conditions for aquaculture, generally weak farm-gate prices, and farmers’ attempts to reduce costs by limiting compound feed utilisation.
Similarly, in 2024, pig feed production (another user of fishmeal) fell by 3.9% year-on-year due to lower pig supply and pork production.
Until the next fishing season in September 2025, most of the raw material for China’s production of fishmeal and fish oil is expected to come from frozen fish and imports such as sardines, IFFO said.
