Dimitri Sclabos Katevas, General Manager Tharos Ltd., Chile.
Take Away:
· South Antarctic Krill meal (and oil) production (Euphausia superba, Dana) started mid/late 70s when the Soviet Union led fishing and production, alongside Japanese and Koreans.
· Although dried meal was manufactured at the very inception of the fishery, fresh whole frozen krill and human-grade meats were primary targets, meal tonnage capping around 25 000 tons (2014).
· Krill oil grew from 5 to 1.450 tons/yr. in 3 decades (2013). Since late 90s, human applications triggered new processing layouts sourcing pricy phospholipids-enriched krill oils away from feed applications.
· Krill meal quality specifications focus in protein and pigment content. Late 90s to early 2000s aminoacids and palatability components reinforced demand for meal with new feed applications in aqua-farmed species.
· As krill meal is also used to extract oil since mid 2000s, these meals compete with feed-grade applications, the latter impossible to compete in price, sometimes doubling the price of the former.
· Krill oil quality became of market interest since late 90s when the first phospholipids-enriched krill oils hit the market; from oxidized triglycerides-enriched to phospholipids-enriched supplement/pharma quality oils being human applications current market focus.
· Krill meal and oil uniqueness rely on:
o Natural antioxidant as astaxanthin
o Omega-3’s mainly bound to phospholipids
o Unsurpassed freshness when the meal is manufactured onboard (at-sea)
· High quality protein, aminoacid profile and low molecular weight compounds that confer krill meal its unique palatability enhancing properties.
· Meal prices from US$475-775 per ton late 80s/early 90s to current US$2.75-3.45 per kilo FOB, the latter mostly for oil extraction applications. Krill oils from US$475-575late 90s to current US$125-175 per kilo FOB (bulk, not blended, high quality, human applications).
· Krill meal price will stay anchored around US$2.5 per kilo FOB while oils will face pressure from new extraction technologies and expanded processing capabilities pushing prices below the US$100 per kilo FOB mark within the coming 2 to 3 years.
· Strict environmental and fishing regulations (current TAC 8MM tons/yr., precautionary limit 620.000 tons/yr.) applied by CCAMLR, limits krill end-products supply to a minor fraction compared the Peruvian anchovy, West Africa and North European fisheries.
· Krill meals and oils will remain a niche ingredient.
Download Krill Meal and Krill Oil: How price and tonnage competitive are they with other fishmeals and oils? (pp 12-20 AQUAFEED: Advances in Processing & Formulation, vol VI issue IV, 2014) (PDF) from the \"read document\" link below.
krill-meal-and-krill-oil-how-price-and-tonnage-competitive-are-they-with-other-fishmeals-and-oils
