Aquaculture may prove a beneficial niche market for the state’s lupin industry as it looks to expand from the stockfeed market and into the aqua-feeds industry.
Robert Sewell, chairman of Fremantle-based seafood company Cell Aquaculture and board member of CBH Group, told WA Business News that lupins’ viability as a source of fish food was a real breakthrough.
“The fish food that is available at the moment consists primarily of fish meal,” he said.
“While fish stocks are declining and demand for fish products increases, then we have to look at other ingredients for fish food and lupins are ideal.”
Mr Sewell, who is also on the board of the Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, said the centre had been researching value-added lupin protein feed products.
“CLIMA now have the technology to put into lupins the ability to increase the omega-3 oils in fish, so the capabilities are that it will further enhance the beneficial effects on the fish,” he said.
“It’s exciting for the lupins industry as it lifts it above the stockfeed market and into a speciality feed market.”
Mr Sewell said he would encourage fish farmers to use lupins instead of soybeans or palm kernel expeller meal for their fish food.
“We grow up to one million tonnes of lupins in Western Australia, but we are competing with soybeans markets of the world which grow around 130 million tonnes,” he said.
“We’re only point eight of a per cent of the world’s protein market, so we have to try and do something special to get the lupins recognised and this is one viable way.”
Mr Sewell told WA Business News the CHB Group had been in joint venture with George Weston Foods to build a $10 million food grade lupin de-hulling and processing facility.
“The lupin kernels that come from that plant are going to be ideal food for the commencement of the fish food manufacturing business,” he said.
The food grade lupin de-hulling and processing facility will be open in September.
