Aller Aqua has partnered with Yaleo Limited to construct a new fish feed factory in Zambia.
The expansion project hopes to increase Yaleo’s production to 20,000-30,000 tonnes of tilapia within the next few years.
Henrik Halken, Aller Aqau Group’s vice president, said: “The factory will be situated near the town Siavonga, on the shore of Lake Kariba, and is expected to be ready mid-2017, provided that the final commitments and permits are given from various authorities and institutions as expected.”
The new company and factory will be called Aller Aqua Zambia Limited and will be the largest of its kind in Africa.
With an expected capacity of 50,000 tonnes of feed per year and the investment is approximately $10m.
The fish feed factory gives Aller Aqua a great basis for expansion for expansion in Zambia, which is a country that is aiming to be self-sufficient with farmed fish.
Mr Halken continued: “With the great potential in Africa it is important that we are present. Aller Aqua needs to make the most of the momentum we have created over the last few years.”
“We have experienced significant growth in Egypt in 2015 and created two new sales subsidiaries in both Kenya and Nigeria, both of which contribute positively to the company’s growth.”
Since it began producing fish feed 50 years ago, a factory has been built in Poland in 2001, Germany in 2007 and a new factory in Egypt was inaugurated in 2015.
Excavation works for a new factory in Qingdao, China has begun which should be ready in late 2016.
“The feed for these two markets comes from our European factories and contribute positively here. In Zambia and the region, we plan to replicate our experience of supporting smallholder fish farmers through training in the use of more efficient commercial fish feeds,” concluded Mr Halken.
