Animal feeds play an important role in global feed industry, since they allow production of animal proteins which are irreplaceable for human nutrition. In other words, it is impossible to produce any animal food feeding millions of people across the world without feed.

 According to many resources, production of animal feed worldwide exceeded 1 billion tonnes in 2016. In this feed production of 1 billion tonnes for different animal groups, poultry feed group has the highest production amount. Pig and ruminant feed groups follow poultry feed group. Fish feed is ranked as the fourth in the world feed production. However, experts provide that fish feed will show the most rapid growth in the industry within next periods due to increased popularity of culture fishing.

 WORLD FISH FEED PRODUCTION Performing the most comprehensive statistical works for world feed production, Alltech announced in its Global Feed Survey 2017 report that total feed production in the world reached to 1 billion 32 million tonnes in 2016. According to the report, fish feed group is ranked as the fourth with approximately 40 million tonnes of production in total feed production. Considering poultry feed group having 451 million tonnes of production amount which is the highest score, it is understood that production amount of fish feed is substantially low. However, many experts believe that this field will show the highest growth in the feed industry within next periods.

 According to the data of the last 5 years in fish feed production, it is not possible to speak of a very consistent table. According to Alltec reports, world fish feed production which amounts about 34 million tonnes in 2012 reached to 40 million tonnes in 2013 with a record increase and to 41 million tonnes in 2014. Showing a critical decline in 2015 and being around the amount of 35 million tonnes, the production increased in 2016 again and reached to an amount of around 40 million tonnes.

 POSITIONS OF COUNTRIES IN WORLD FISH FEED PRODUCTION China and USA are top two countries being amount the leaders of feed producers of the world. However, when it comes to fish feed production, China is ranked as the first by a long way. Being the leader of fish feed producer of the world, China succeeded to produce 49 percent of world fish feed production which amounts 35,5 million tonnes in 2015 by its herself. Having produced 13,3 million tonnes of fish feed in 2012, China reached to 23 million tonnes of production in 2013 which is the biggest score of the last years. However, declining to some amount in production in recent years afterwards, the company produced 18 million tonnes in 2014, and 17,3 million tonnes of fish feed in 2015.

 Since the top 10 producers in total feed production of the world are included in the Alltech report, India is ranked as the second in data of 2015 with 1,2 million tonnes of fish feed production. According to the report, USA produces about 1 million tonnes of fish feed per year. However, it is known that some Far Asia countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam produces much more fish feed than India and USA. For example, according to the reports, Thailand produces 1,6 million tonnes, Indonesia produces 1,3 million tonnes and Vietnam produces 2,9 million tonnes of fish feed in 2012.

FISH FEED PRODUCTION ON CONTINENTAL BASIS Considering the leader of fish feed production of the world is China, that is to say that the highest production is made in Asia Pacific region on continental basis. After combining production of China with productions of countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and India, nearly 70 percent of fish feed production is made in the Asia Pacific region. According to Alltech reports, achieving 31 million tonnes of fish feed production in 2013, Asia Pacific region reached to 27 million tonnes of production in 2014, 26,1 million tonnes of production in 2015 and 26,7 million tonnes of production in 2016.

 In fish feed production, Asia Pacific region is followed by Europe. Having produced 3,8 million tonnes of fish feed in 2013, Europe regressed in 2014 and 2015 and achieved 3,2 million tonnes of production. In 2016, production of the region increased and reached to 5,9 million tonnes. Being ranked as the third in fish feed production, Latin America increased its production which amounted 3 million tonnes in 2013 to 8 million tonnes of production in 2014, however production regressed and 3,5 million tons of production was achieved in 2015-2016.

 In accordance with 2016 data, these regions are followed by Northern America (1,8 million tonnes), Africa (1,6 million tones) and Middle East (0,3 million tonnes).