China Aqua Feed Market Overview, 2031

China Aqua Feed Market Analysis by Industry Research

The aqua feed landscape across China is the largest in the world, reflecting the country's position is anticipated to add to USD 8.36 Billion by 2026–31 as the dominant global producer of farmed fish and shrimp, with over 60% of total aquaculture production occurring in China according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). According to the China Society of Fisheries, China produces over 70 million metric tons of aquaculture products annually, including over 50 million metric tons from freshwater aquaculture (carp, tilapia, catfish, and other species) and over 20 million metric tons from mariculture (shrimp, marine fish, shellfish, and seaweed), with feed representing the largest operational cost for intensive farming operations at 50-70% of total production expenses. The regulatory environment for aqua feed involves the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) overseeing feed safety, ingredient approvals, and manufacturing standards, the State Administration for Market Regulation enforcing feed quality standards, and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment monitoring aquaculture environmental impacts including nutrient discharge from intensive pond and cage systems. According to industry analysts from the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, China's aqua feed market has transformed from farm-made feeds and simple ingredients to advanced extruded formulations over the past three decades, driven by intensification of aquaculture production and rising consumer demand for high-quality seafood.

Chinese aqua feed is highly developed and vertically integrated, with major manufacturers controlling ingredient sourcing, feed production, and often downstream aquaculture operations. According to industry analysts, the Chinese market has seen rapid adoption of extrusion technology for floating pellets across all major species, with specialized feeds developed for different production stages and farming systems including pond, cage, and recirculating aquaculture systems. The supply chain for aqua feed ingredients involves domestic fishmeal production from reduction fisheries in the East China Sea, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, soybean meal from domestic crushing facilities and imports from Brazil, Argentina, and the United States, corn and wheat byproducts from Chinese agriculture, and fish oil from domestic and imported sources. Key variables to watch through the forecast period include government policies on aquaculture environmental protection and feed ingredient sourcing, fishmeal supply from Chinese reduction fisheries subject to quota variations in the East China Sea and South China Sea, consumer demand for premium and certified seafood, and the pace of recirculating aquaculture system adoption. The parent market remains the broader Chinese aquaculture industry, which supports millions of jobs in rural areas across all provinces, with major production regions including Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Hubei, and Hunan provinces. PESTEL factors include government environmental regulations limiting pond expansion (environmental), trade policies affecting soybean and fishmeal imports (political), rising middle-class seafood consumption (social), recirculating system technology adoption (technological), currency exchange rates affecting imported ingredient costs (economic), and food safety regulations (legal).

China Aqua Feed Market Dynamics

Drivers

World's largest aquaculture production driving massive feed demand: China produces over 70 million metric tons of aquaculture products annually, more than the rest of the world combined, with feed representing 50-70% of production costs for intensive farming operations. Each kilogram of farmed fish or shrimp requires 1.2-2.0 kilograms of formulated feed depending on species and production system, creating enormous demand for aqua feed across all provinces. The sheer scale of Chinese aquaculture means that small percentage changes in feed conversion or production volume translate into millions of metric tons of feed demand.
Government aquaculture modernization and intensification policies: Chinese government policies under the 14th Five-Year Plan and Aquaculture Industry Development Plan encourage transition from extensive pond farming to intensive and recirculating systems with higher stocking densities and complete formulated feeds. These policies aim to improve food safety, reduce environmental impact of aquaculture waste discharge, and increase production efficiency through better feed management. Farm modernization drives demand for specialized feeds.

Challenges

Limited domestic fishmeal supply from Chinese reduction fisheries: China's reduction fisheries in the East China Sea, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea face overfishing concerns and quota restrictions, limiting domestic fishmeal production for aqua feeds. Chinese feed manufacturers rely on significant fishmeal imports from Peru, Chile, Vietnam, and other sources to meet demand for marine fish and shrimp feeds. Fishmeal price volatility affects feed formulation costs.
Environmental regulations limiting pond farming expansion: Chinese environmental protection laws have restricted new pond construction and require treatment of aquaculture wastewater from existing ponds, particularly in coastal provinces where intensive shrimp farming has raised environmental concerns. Regulations limiting pond expansion encourage intensification and recirculating system adoption, which requires different feed formulations.

Trends

Alternative protein development to reduce fishmeal dependence: Chinese research institutions and feed manufacturers are actively developing fishmeal replacements including fermented soybean meal, cottonseed protein concentrate that China produces in large quantities, insect meal from black soldier fly larvae, and single-cell proteins. Alternative proteins reduce dependence on imported fishmeal for marine fish and shrimp feeds.
Functional feeds for disease prevention in intensive shrimp farming: Intensive shrimp farming in China has faced disease challenges including White Spot Syndrome Virus, Early Mortality Syndrome, and other pathogens, driving development of functional feeds containing probiotics, prebiotics, immunostimulants, and plant extracts. Functional feeds reduce antibiotic use and improve survival rates.

Segment Analysis

Fish segment leads as the largest species category in China, with freshwater finfish including carp, tilapia, catfish, and pangasius representing over 40 million metric tons of annual production, requiring feeds with 25-35% protein depending on species and production intensity.

The fish segment dominates Chinese aqua feed markets because freshwater finfish production is the largest component of Chinese aquaculture, with over 40 million metric tons produced annually across all provinces, including major species such as common carp, grass carp, silver carp, bighead carp, crucian carp, tilapia in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan provinces, channel catfish, and pangasius (basa).
The crustaceans segment in China is significant, with shrimp production exceeding 5 million metric tons annually from coastal provinces including Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian, and Zhejiang, and freshwater prawn production from inland provinces.
Other species include shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, scallops) that require no formulated feeds as they filter feed on plankton, and seaweed (kelp, nori, wakame) for which no formulated feeds are required.

Soybean meal is the largest protein ingredient segment in Chinese aqua feeds, driven by domestic soybean crushing capacity and imports from Brazil and the United States, with extensive use in carp and tilapia feeds where plant protein utilization is efficient.

Soybean meal dominates Chinese aqua feed ingredients because freshwater finfish, the largest volume species, efficiently utilize plant proteins with soybean meal inclusion rates in carp and tilapia feeds reaching 30-40% of formulation.
Fish meal remains essential for marine fish and shrimp feeds where protein requirements are higher, but inclusion rates have declined from historical levels of 40-50% to 15-25% in current grower formulations as plant proteins have improved.
Corn and corn byproducts including corn gluten meal and distillers dried grains with solubles are used as energy sources and protein extenders in carp and tilapia feeds. China is a major corn producer, ensuring domestic supply of corn byproducts for aqua feed manufacturing.
Fish oil is essential for marine fish and shrimp feeds, with Chinese feed manufacturers importing fish oil from Peru and other sources.
Additives including crystalline amino acids (methionine, lysine), carotenoid pigments for salmonid and shrimp flesh coloration, and functional feed components including probiotics, prebiotics, and immunostimulants represent high-value, rapidly growing segments.

Dry feed is the largest and most widely used form in China, with extruded floating pellets widely adopted for most species allowing feeding observation and waste reduction, though sinking pellets are used for shrimp and bottom-feeding species.

Dry feed dominates the Chinese aqua feed market because extruded pellets offer storage stability, mechanical handling efficiency, and nutrient density for all commercial species.
Wet feed has limited application in China, primarily for specialized hatchery applications and some traditional aquaculture systems where farm-made feeds are still used. Moist feed serves niche applications for larval stages and hatchery settings.

Grower feed is the largest feed stage segment in China, as most species require 6-18 months to reach market size depending on species and production system, with majority of feed consumed during grow-out phases across pond, cage, and recirculating systems.

Grower feed dominates the Chinese aqua feed market because this production phase covers the longest period of the production cycle for all species and accounts for over 70% of total feed volume and cost. Grower formulations balance protein with cost-effectiveness, using plant proteins for freshwater species.
Starter feed for larvae and fry is more expensive per unit weight due to higher protein content and fine particle sizes. Finisher feed is formulated for the final weeks before harvest, optimizing flesh quality. Brooder feed for broodstock is a small-volume specialized segment.

The China aqua feed market is the largest in the world, driven by massive aquaculture production and government intensification policies. Soybean meal will remain the dominant protein source for freshwater feeds, while fish meal substitution for marine feeds will continue through research and development. Alternative proteins including insect meal and cottonseed protein are promising for reducing fishmeal dependence. Environmental regulations will drive intensification and recirculating system adoption. Tongwei, Haid Group, New Hope, and Yuehai will continue dominating the highly consolidated market.





Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2020
• Base year: 2025
• Estimated year: 2026
• Forecast year: 2031

Aspects covered in this report
•Aqua Feed Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Species
• Fish
• Crustaceans
• Other



By Ingredient
• Soybean
• Fish Meal
• Corn
• Fish Oil
• Additives
• Other Ingredients

By Form
• Dry
• Wet
• Moist

By Feed Stage
• Grower Feed
• Finisher Feed
• Starter Feed
• Brooder Feed