The global compound feed market in numbers
Compound feed production totalled 870m tonnes in 2012, an estimated 4-5% increase on 2011, with poultry consuming the lion’s share, according to Alltech’s 2013 global feed tonnage survey.
Now in its second year, the survey sourced information from local feed mill associations in 134 countries, and Alltech’s sales team in December 2012. This information was used to create global estimated totals.
It found China to be the world’s leading producer of compound feed, manufacturing 173m tonnes according to estimates. The USA and Brazil followed in second and third place with 162m tonnes and 60m tonnes respectively.
Asia was the world’s leading compound feed producing region at 317m tonnes, but Africa was found to be the fastest growing – increasing its tonnage by almost 15%, from 42.6m tonnes to 49m tonnes in 2012, according to the survey.
Alltech estimated that 43% of compound feed produced globally went to poultry, an 8% increase on the 2011 figure. The survey found 60% of this was fed to broilers. Aidan Connolly, vice president of Alltech attributed this to the versatility of poultrymeat, “It is acceptable to all religions, is perceived as healthy and low-fat, and is relatively easy to process,” he said.
The fastest species-sector for growth was aquaculture, with compound feed production increasing by 55% since 2011. Mr Connolly said part of this could be down to consumers perceiving fish in a similar way to poultrymeat.
“It’s imaginable to see aquaculture as 10% of the feed market in the near future,” he added.
The pig feed sector matched poultry’s growth at 8%, the ruminant feed market was reported to have grown by 13% and equine feed tonnage increased 17%, according to the survey. It also reported 60% of compound feed produced globally was pelleted, with percentages particularly high in Europe.
Save up to 30% on subscriptions to Poultry World