CLEARWATER SHRIMP RAS CHAMPION
Neomar’s founder, Bert Wecker, believes that tropical shrimp farming in temperate areas is about to become extremely profitable and that the industry is primed for growth in both Europe and North America.
High-tech, high-efficiency model
Neomar Company initially produced sea bream and sea bass, then expanded into producing a variety of other aquatic species before concentrating mostly on shrimp farming in 2015. Neomar’s farm, according to Mr. Wecker, is considerably different from typical RAS designs because it is built using a multi-compartment tank system rather than pipes, which saves a lot of energy. “We regularly harvest and stock. As the shrimp mature, we can move them gently across the ditch thanks to this design,” he added.
This agricultural strategy also involves multiple species. “We can grow shrimp and fish there. With species like grouper, whose stocking density is 100 kg/m3 of water, Neomar’s farm design can contain 10,000 m3 of water, can be run by 6–8 persons, and can produce up to 2,000 tons per year. The output for shrimp will be around 400 tons because the stocking density is 10 kg/m3, according to Mr. Wecker.
Mr. Wecker now believes that shrimp farming will be the best option for the business after invading sea bass and sea bream farming. “We chose to concentrate more on shrimp farming because there was a lot of competition from cage farming for seabass and sea bream. All imports compete with our shrimp, and Neomar Company is currently manufacturing at a considerably greater cost. Despite this, the obvious quality difference allows our shrimp farming system to profit from the high selling price. Compared to salmon, land-based shrimp has far greater potential. The consumption of shrimp has reached a tipping point at this time. As a result, the Neomar Company predicts that terrestrial shrimp farming will soon be scaled up, just like salmon farms have done.
Benefits of Biofloc and clean water systems
Mr. Wecker has tested both the Biofloc system and the pure water system, but since he can see the shrimp up close, he has more faith in the clean water system. If you can’t see the animals, it’s really difficult to judge and make decisions, he claims. “That might not make a difference for the shrimp, though.” Particularly today, there are a lot of smart cameras that watch shrimp using artificial intelligence. However, murky water prohibits the usage of this camera technology.
Additionally, Mr. Wecker claimed that the studies he conducted to evaluate the health and productivity of shrimp in Biofloc and clean water systems were comparable. The two systems create shrimp that has an incredibly comparable flavor.
The starting point for growth
The aforementioned accomplishments are significant factors that have given Neomar motivation to increase the production and development of their shrimp feed (produced in Germany and approved for use in the EU). It differs from standard shrimp feed, which is made by major manufacturers in other established markets.
Additionally, Neomar Company’s farm has significantly improved its grow-out rate, which has lowered from 180 days in 2015 to 90 days in 2022. The farm operated by Neomar Company will continue to grow in the future thanks to advancements in genetics and feed production techniques.
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