Earlier this month, the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) held an aquaculture conference in Guayaquil, Ecuador to promote the technical and nutritional excellence of U.S. corn co-products like corn fermented protein (CFP), distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and the application of these products across different aquaculture diets.
Attendees included top shrimp, tilapia and salmon producers from Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Ecuador.
“Ecuador imported 133 thousand metric tons (TMT) of DDGS and CFP in marketing year 2023/2024, but there is an additional opportunity of 300 TMT annually for consumers to increase the inclusion rate across various feed sectors,” said Marri Tejada, USGBC regional director for Latin America (LTA).
“The Council has consistently worked in LTA to promote the use of corn co-products in animal nutrition, with a particular focus on recent efforts in the aquaculture sector. Over the past year, special emphasis has been placed on encouraging the inclusion of CFP in aquaculture diets, highlighting its technical and nutritional value for shrimp, tilapia and salmonoids.”
Several Council members attended to offer their expertise and connect with end-users, including ADM, The Andersons, Cargill, International Feed, Long Run, POET and Green Plains.
The two-day event began with presentations providing an overview of the history of Ecuador’s aquaculture industry, market outlooks for corn co-products and specifics about optimal feed formulas for raising various species.
Iowa Corn Growers Association Board Member Will Cannon also spoke to attendees about producers’ perspectives on sustainable agricultural practices. Then, end-users from Chile, Colombia and Ecuador shared their product needs and insights into the region’s market for feed grains and co-products.
Several members of the delegation were then able to visit a highly integrated shrimp production facility to further understand opportunities for CFP within the Ecuadorian market.
“As a world leader in aquaculture, particularly in shrimp production, Ecuador is an exciting market for U.S. producers in the present and future,” Tejada said.
“Continuing to scale DDGS and CFP exports to the region as the aquaculture sector expands, will provide a reliable market for the U.S. agricultural industry and serve as a launching point for expansion in nearby nations as well.”
Learn more about the Council’s work in Ecuador here.