INTERVIEW with Hernan Lim Hocpo was first founded in 1988 with partners from Taiwan who became the pioneers in the production of prawn feeds during the golden age of monodon prawn farming. In that decade, diseases were uncommon and there were relatively fewer environmental and ecological issues, making it highly profitable especially considering the East Asian market. AQ: Why did you decide to also enter the fish feed market? HL: During the mid-90s a widespread outbreak of luminous bacteria in Visayas caused the monodon industry to collapse. This was largely due to poor farming practices and during those years disease prevention technology was still in its infancy. While finding solutions for the prawn industry in the country and investing in R&D, we had an opportunity to diversify and cater to the fish feed market for both milkfish and tilapia. We took advantage of this to offset the volume loss we incurred from the outbreak. AQ: Where is the company today in terms of size, markets served and aquafeed volume produced? HL: Today the company operates integrated business units that accommodate the various demands of the aquaculture industry in the Philippines; from fry to growout farms, and aquafeeds to the trading of raw material ingredients and farmcare products for both fish and shrimp. Hocpo is primarily concerned with producing feed for shrimp, tilapia, and milkfish as well as our upcoming catfish feeds.
Hernan Lim is President at Hoc Po Feeds Corporation
AQ: Hoc Po Feeds was founded in 1988 as a shrimp feed manufacturer. How did it all start? HL: Our family originated from a province in the Philippines called Cotabato. Having resided alongside a body of water, it allowed us to catch wild milkfish fry (Chanos chanos, locally called Bangus) and trade it locally and internationally as well, Taiwan specifically. This endeavor paved the way for opportunities that opened up different business ventures in the aquaculture industry such as feed milling.
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AQ: The Philippines banned the import of PAPs from certain ASF-affected countries in 2022 and reauthorized it again after complaints from the aquafeed industry. How important are these ingredients in the feed formulas in the country? HL: Processed Animal Protein (PAPs) is a key ingredient in our formulation, providing essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals crucial for fish growth. It's a valuable alternative, reducing costs compared to traditional protein sources like fishmeal. This ensures economic sustainability in producing quality feeds without compromising nutritional content. Notably, formulations without PAP tend to be higher in cost.
Aquafeed: Advances in Processing & Formulation Vol 16 Issue 1 2024