ILOILO — A P35-million aquaculture feed mill facility aimed at slashing production costs and stabilizing feed supply for fish farmers in Western Visayas was officially launched Monday, April 27, at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) in Barangay Buyu-an, Tigbauan, Iloilo.
Jointly funded by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and SEAFDEC, the medium-scale facility is designed to produce up to five metric tons of feeds per day — expandable to eight metric tons — to address what officials described as one of the most pressing constraints in aquaculture: the high and unstable cost of feeds.
“With a production capacity of at least 5 metric tons of feeds per day and can reach up to 8 metric tons, it is designed to support the development of cost-effective feeds for commercially. More importantly, this facility is expected to directly benefit at least 6,240 fisherfolks annually, which is equivalent to approximately 47% of the 13,202 fisherfolks engaged in aquaculture out of the 192,679 registered fisherfolks in the entire region,” said BFAR Region 6 director Remia Aparri.
The project targets at least 6,240 fisherfolk-beneficiaries annually, providing access to affordable, nutritionally balanced feeds for commercially important species such as milkfish, while strengthening the region’s aquaculture sector.
BFAR assistant director for administrative services Zaldy Perez said the initiative directly responds to rising feed costs, which account for as much as 60 to 70 percent of aquaculture production expenses.
“This project is our strategic response. The establishment of this feed mill plant is not simply about producing feeds — it is about transforming the economics of aquaculture. By utilizing locally available ingredients and science-based formulations developed through research of SEAFDEC-AQD and supported by NFRDI and BFAR, we are making a decisive move towards the commercialization of the output of research to industry application and benefit,” Perez said.
Perez emphasized that the facility will prioritize grassroots stakeholders, supplying cost-efficient feeds to fish farmers, cooperatives, and associations, while complementing — not competing with — existing industry players.
He added that the initiative aligns with national goals of ensuring food security, boosting productivity, and improving incomes in the fisheries sector.
“From a national perspective, this initiative aligns squarely with our mandate to achieve food security, increase productivity, and improve incomes in the fisheries sector. The feasibility study clearly demonstrates that this is a sound investment — financially viable, economically beneficial, and socially impactful, with strong returns and significant multiplier effects across the region,” he added.
SEAFDEC/AQD Chief Dan Baliao said the project was years in the making, with groundwork laid through decades of research on feed formulation dating back to the 1980s.
“Today, we are not just celebrating the opening of this facility but we are also celebrating the hard work of each and every individual who have been part of this journey and project. This feed mill plant stands as another way for SEAFDEC/AQD to bridge the gap between research and development,” Baliao said.
The facility is also expected to serve as a hub for innovation, training, and technology transfer, catering to both backyard and commercial fish farmers in Western Visayas and neighboring regions.
“This facility is designed to serve the people who need it most. It will provide cost-efficient, high-quality feeds directly to fish farmers, cooperatives, and associations — ensuring that the benefits are felt at the grassroots level,” Perez added.
The launch underscores the government’s push to modernize aquaculture and reduce dependency on expensive commercial feeds, a key factor in improving profitability and long-term sustainability in the fisheries sector./PN
