Alliance News

China’s tilapia price rebound draws aquaculture giant to invest

A turnaround in the country’s tilapia pricing has brought one of China’s biggest aquaculture firms to ramp up its tilapia breeding and processing capacity. Known more for its prawn production and processing, Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Co. is ramping up its tilapia seedlings business in a large new facility that has come online in Wuchuan, in the company’s home province of Guangdong. This follows a greatly improved performance by the Chinese tilapia sector in 2013.

Tilapia cultivators were losing money in 2012 as weak demand and disease contributed to a poor outlook. That in turn forced a lot of small aquaculture players to exit the tilapia sector. Interviewed by the local press this week, breeding manager at Guolian’s tilapia base in Wuchuan, Zhao Honglei explained that in 2013 prices grew solidly and demand for fingerlings increased greatly.

“A lot of cultivators exited, they gave up tilapia breeding. There was an enormous fall in tilapia output and a growing gap in supply for processors, so now we are producing tilapia again.”

Data published by the Chinese agriculture ministry shows farm gate prices for tilapia surged from CNY 4.7 (USD 0.77åç, EUR 0.56) per 500 grams (g) (for fish of .5 kilograms (kg) and heavier, a common factory grade) in mid-2013. By the end of 2013 those prices surged to CNY 5.3 (USD 0.87, EUR 0.64) and CNY 5.4 (USD 0.89, EUR 0.65) as factories struggled for a stable supply of tilapia for processing.
Local analysts watching China’s seafood sector have welcomed Guolian’s move into tilapia as a way of insulating the firm against volatility in global shrimp markets.

“The coming online of Guolian’s tilapia breeding project is a good move to spread risk,” explained Wang Fenghua, analyst at Hongyuan Securities, which [...]

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Americas Tilapia Alliance will be held at the Aquaculture America - 2014 Meetings in Seattle, Washington, Feb 9 - Feb 12, 2014; Tilapia industry presentations, technical talks and reports will be delivered in special sessions.

New Logo Design

With the new organization comes a new logo. Our new logo is simple, modern and clean. With the new logo and website, we're Forging a New Identity for the Tilapia Industry.

Logos with the word "Member" are available for Members.

Press Release

PRESS RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2013
Announcing the formation of the America’s Tilapia Alliance (ATA)

The America’s Tilapia Alliance (the “ATA”) was formed in September 2013 by a group of US and foreign tilapia enthusiasts. A previous entity called the American Tilapia Association is in the process of dissolution. The former entity was organized in 1996. Since 1996 the industry has evolved and tilapia production has boomed worldwide. Fish farmers are not the only entities involved to create a healthy and expanding tilapia industry. The stakeholders include academia, pharmaceutical companies, feed suppliers, equipment manufacturers, seed and genetic providers, various laboratories, consulting and technology transfer companies, distributors, sales and marketing companies, and grocery and food service companies. All these actors have a role to play before the product ever gets to the end user – the consumer. The establishment of the new ATA will enable the additional stakeholders to become members of the expanded organization and enable them to add value to the industry.

The ATA’s initial objective is to expand the membership by having as members a variety of tilapia aficionados who invest time and or money within the tilapia industry. This brain trust of membership will offer their experience, contacts and financial support to protect and promote an improved image of tilapia. What needs to be developed by this collective are proactive and reactive programs that promote and protect the industry. To be effective within our budgets and means, targets have to be well coordinated by ATA members, Directors and committees.

To create interest and focus, the ATA will rely heavily on web based communication. The ATA expects to develop websites, and chat forums among the various groups that contribute to the tilapia industry. The ATA has solicited the [...]