In the traditional fish farming market increasingly competitive at present, a new wave of farming is quietly rising.
That is - cold water fish farming
In recent years, the output of cold-water fish farming in China has continued to increase. In 2023, the output of cold-water fish farming in China has exceeded the 260,000 tons mark, and is developing rapidly at an average annual growth rate of 18%.
Linked to the production of aquaculture is the continuous growth of consumer demand
With the improvement of people's living standards and the change of consumption concepts, the demand for high-quality and high-quality protein is strong, and cold water fish (such as salmon, trout, rainbow trout, sturgeon, Ya fish, etc.) is rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, which is beneficial to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health and has high nutritional value. In 2023, the per capita consumption of cold water fish such as salmon and rainbow trout will increase by 15% annually.
In addition to the economic value, the economic value of cold water fish is also high
The market price of domestic aquaculture rainbow trout is about 30-50 yuan/catty, while the price of imported high-quality salmon (Atlantic salmon) can reach 80-120 yuan/catty.
The market price of sturgeon meat is about 40-60 yuan/catty, and the caviar made of sturgeon roe is a high-end food, and the price can reach thousands or even tens of thousands of yuan per kilogram.
The retail price of elegant fish has been sold as high as 180 yuan/jin.
The high price of cold-water fish is related to its high breeding cost, but it also brings considerable profit space for breeding enterprises.
Demand has strengthened but supply has not
At present, the market supply of cold-water fish mainly relies on imports, the domestic aquaculture scale is small, and the market gap is large, which provides a huge development space for domestic cold-water fish aquaculture.
Take salmon, for example: the global salmon market is short by 500,000 tonnes (FAO estimates), and China's self-sufficiency rate is less than 10%.
Although cold-water fish farming has great economic potential and market prospects, it still faces many problems in practice.
Cold water fish have high requirements for water temperature, water quality and other environmental conditions, and are highly dependent on the environment, and traditional farming methods are greatly restricted by natural conditions. The water temperature is difficult to control in the hot season, which can easily lead to stress and even death of fish.
Cold water fish are vulnerable to various diseases and parasites, such as bacterial infections, fungal diseases, parasitic diseases, etc. These pathogens can come from unclean water sources, infected feed, or other fish.
Through modern equipment and technology, factory circulating aquaculture can effectively solve the dilemma in cold water fish farming
Precise control of water temperature to ensure that cold water fish grow in a suitable environment, regardless of seasons and climate; Maintain clean and stable water quality through precise control of water quality parameters.
Factory farming adopts a closed environment, which reduces the invasion of external pathogens and reduces the probability of disease occurrence. Real-time monitoring of fish health, timely detection and treatment of problems.
In addition, factory farming can achieve high-density farming, and the yield per unit area is significantly increased. Through precise control of environmental parameters and feed ratio, the quality and taste of cold-water fish are ensured to meet the needs of the high-end market.