BioMar Chile announced Farmer of the Year awards, according to the production results obtained in 2023. The award, held since 2017, seeks to make visible the work carried out by farms fed with BioMar diets to achieve efficient salmon farming.
A low feed conversion ratio is the main indicator of efficient aquaculture and, therefore, the first step towards sustainable salmon farming. Therefore, this is the first indicator the aquafeed company has sought to highlight over time. This year, Multi X's Taraba 8 farm, with a conversion factor of 1.0000, tops the ranking. The farm is followed by two farms from Australis: Matilde 2 with an FCR of 1.0140 is positioned in second place, and James Y takes the third podium with an FCR of 1.0529.
BioMar said that there has been a sustained improvement in the results of the Farmer of the Year in the past seven years, marked by a constant reduction in the FCR. The average FCR of the farms fed by BioMar experienced a decrease of 5.9% between 2017 and 2023. In addition, the average FCR of the Top 10 of the Farmer of the Year decreased by 6.4%, while the value of the first place decreased by 4.8% during the same period.
The role of remote feeding and a holistic vision of the farm
The increasingly smaller dispersion of the results of the Farmer of the Year shows the evolution of Chilean salmon farming towards greater efficiency and standardization, particularly with the adoption of remote feeding technologies.
Michael Adler, technical director of BioMar Chile, explained that “this year, we had to open the results up to 4 decimals to determine the Top 10 Farmer of the Year. This demonstrates the efficient joint work between BioMar and our clients to formulate strategies that adapt to the particularities of each center and thus maximize results.”
“The results of 2023 reflect the importance of effective feeding management, added to the use of high-energy diets, the adoption of new technologies such as remote feeding, the quality of smolts, specialized work from BioFarm, and a feeding strategy aimed at maximizing the health and well-being of the fish. These elements are essential to maximize growth potential, even in the face of the increasing recurrence of health challenges,” Adler said.
This year, three companies stand out for their holistic and collaborative approach which has allowed them to secure their position in the top 10 of the Farmer of the Year, with excellent conversion factors that range from 1,000 to 1.0619: Multi X, Australis and Camanchaca.
New recognitions
This year, the Danish firm decided to add three new awards in recognition of excellence for efficient and sustainable salmon farming.
In addition to achieving first position as 2023 Farmer of the Year, Multi X obtained the award for Best Company of the Year, which recognizes the consistency in the excellence of the results of its farms.
“We are very happy for the achievements and grateful for the recognition that BioMar gives today to the work of our entire team. Inspired by our corporate purpose of feeding the future, we have been combining the incorporation of new technologies, an innovative look at our practices and processes, and the ability to set highly challenging goals. At Multi X, we take the responsibility of positioning salmon as the most sustainable protein, providing the world with a unique, nutritious and healthy food from southern Chile,” said César Aguilar, technical manager of Multi X.
Australis' Matilde 2, in addition to obtaining the second-best FCR of the year, was awarded Highest Energy Efficiency, highlighting its optimal energy use to achieve the conversion factor of 1.0140.
Efficiency is essential, but it is not everything. In line with its commitment to sustainability and innovation, and to promote and inspire more projects with a comprehensive sustainable approach, BioMar has decided to award a special distinction to an innovative initiative with triple impact. Thus, the award for Best Sustainable Innovation has been awarded to Yadrán for its project Sludge Recovery through Composting, which stands out for its triple social, environmental and economic impact.
