Extrusion solutions for RAS feed production
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by Jens Steengard, Global RAS Sales Manager and Spencer Lawson, Director- Extrusion Systems, Wenger Manufacturing Inc, USA
he population of the world is growing at a steady pace. The current population, according to www.un.org, is roughly 7.6 billion. By 2050, it is expected that the global population will be approaching 9.8 billion. If the numbers are examined further, one could make the argument that the world’s population is experiencing a net increase of approximately 8600 people-per-hour (+/- 208,000 people-per-day). If someone were to ask, what does the entire population have in common? The most basic and simplistic answer would be … everyone eats! Clearly, an individual’s diet is dependent on several factors. These factors could include but are not limited to, geographic location and economics. In a hypothetical scenario, someone could say that, due to the quality of life increasing in certain parts of the globe, people are desiring a higher quality protein. In many parts of the world, poultry, swine, and beef are the top proteins of choice. However, someone could make the argument that consuming fish is preferred over the previously mentioned protein sources and, as aquaculture is predicted to supply the majority of aquatic dietary protein in 2050, it will be necessary for aquaculture to deliver a significantly enhanced volume of food in a sustainable manner. Where the global wild fish catch has been more or less constant since the 1990s, the world’s demand for aquaculture (farmed fish) has kept growing dramatically and with an estimated growth of additional two million tonnes-per-year approaching 2050, it will be necessary for the aquaculture industry to deliver this significantly enhanced volume of food in a sustainable manner. Also, special attention needs to be given to the impact on environmental integrity, farmed organism health, welfare,and human health. Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) could, to some degree, be the answer to this issue. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has put some planned RAS projects on hold, it will most likely be a temporary pause. The global demand for sustainable aquaculture is fast-growing and therefore, the demands for RAS projects will surely be
reestablished very soon, potentially leading to more projects. With the potential increasing number of RAS installations, the demand for feed will also increase. Global feed producers are already making plans on how to cope with this increasing demand in the future. Listening to RAS farmers, the importance of feeding with high-quality feed is essential for the RAS industry to continue to develop. Not only is nutritional quality of high importance, but also the physical quality of the feed. Some pre-existing feed production lines may not meet the rigorous quality requirements
26 | November 2020 - International Aquafeed