In May, the 2025 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook has revealed results of the 14th annual Alltech Global Feed Survey and the key trends that are shaping the future of industry, including technologies that are making a big impact, sustainability efforts and opportunities for growth. Extracts from the report, relevant for Asia Pacific and aquaculture are presented below. For more details refer to the full report here.
Major Trends Impacting Global Feed Production
Alltech’s 2024 feed survey identified several trends that impacted feed production and demand, including disease outbreaks, economic factors, the environment and changing consumer preferences.
Disease management and recovery
African swine fever (ASF) and HPAI made headlines around the world in 2024, impacting consumer buying patterns. The aquaculture and ruminant sectors also grappled with disease challenges that impacted production and reduced demand, including bluetongue and foot-and mouth disease.
Fortunately, many regions and sectors were able to rebound to end the year positively thanks to increased biosecurity measures, government regulations, and new import and trade opportunities.
The devastating impact of avian influenza
Every region of the world felt the impact of HPAI (also known as H5N1, highly pathogenic avian or bird flu) in 2024, primarily through the decimation of poultry flocks, disruptions in supply chains and subsequent price volatility in the animal protein markets.
North America was significantly impacted, particularly in the egg and turkey sectors. In Asia, countries like Japan and South Korea have faced repeated outbreaks that challenge their supply stability and necessitate large-scale flock reduction and an increased dependence on imports.
The economic implications of HPAI have been profound, not only leading to direct costs associated with culling and containment but also influencing global trade dynamics and protein pricing structures.
Economic pressures and a changing geopolitical landscape
Nearly 50% of the respondents who contributed to the Agri- Food Outlook survey reported that consumer behaviour was most affected by the economy and protein product prices, which impact protein consumption habits and animal feed consumption.
Similarly, on the production side, costs also shaped global dynamics — but some markets were able to use that to their advantage. Feed production got a boost in Asia, Europe and Latin America due to the lower costs of corn and soy, and the North American broiler sector benefited from high beef prices. Exports helped drive growth in pork, beef and poultry feed production in Oceania, Europe and Brazil.
Shifting geopolitical and trade dynamics also played a major role. Uncertainties related to the trade relationship between the United States and China, for example, impacted those countries’ pork and soybean markets.
2024 Feed Tonnage by Region
This year’s global feed survey estimated that the total global feed tonnage increased 1.2% over 2023, an increase of 16.7 million tonnes to approximately 1.396 billion tonnes (Table 1).
Asia-Pacific (533.1 million tonnes): Feed production was down slightly in the region (-0.8%), though Asia-Pacific remained the largest feed producer overall. The decrease was largely due to headwinds in China as well as ongoing weather extremes, oversupply, and cheap feed alternatives that hampered expansion.
Feed Tonnage by Sector
Aquaculture
Global feed production for the aquaculture sector declined slightly (by 1.1%), continuing a downward trend for the sector that first emerged in 2023. The statistics, however, conceals considerable regional divergence, including gains in Latin America, Africa and Europe (Table 2).
Unfortunately, the considerable decreases in Asia-Pacific and North America due to disease challenges, extreme weather events, cost pressures and low market prices weighed down the entire sector. Looking ahead, aquaculture is positioned to strengthen slowly, but the recovery will likely remain uneven across regions.
Potential rebounds in shrimp and finfish production in Asia-Pacific will depend on stabilized prices and biosecurity improvements Table 3). Latin America and Africa could continue their upward trajectories, and momentum around alternative feed ingredients in Europe is expected to pick up steam as regulatory frameworks and consumer demand increasingly emphasize sustainability.
- Africa and the Middle East: Aquafeed production experienced a 9.1% increase in Africa. Volumes remain small but more farmers are adopting commercial aquafeeds in their operations, and rising demand for lower-cost proteins also benefited the sector. Countries with rich coastal waters, such as Comoros, hold significant potential for the development of marine based industries — and a planned $10-million investment to expand capture fisheries in that country to meet the growing domestic demand illustrates the region’s commitment to aquaculture production. In the Middle East, aquafeed tonnage was down by 0.6% but the sector is still faring well, with growth opportunities identified in the United Arab Emirates as part of a push for increased food security. Global demand indicates that aquafeed production will continue to rise across Africa and the Middle East.
- Asia-Pacific: Persistent challenges led to an overall decrease of 1.7% in the production of aquafeed in Asia- Pacific, continuing the decrease for two consecutive years due to environmental challenges (like flooding and heat waves), disease outbreaks and economic pressures. The region is still the largest aquaculture producer in the world. There were areas of growth for the region — like Vietnam, where aquafeed production grew by 3.3% due to an expanding international demand and technological advancements. Operational shifts, such as the move to cheaper feed alternatives and challenges with the broodstock supply, have further reduced the need for specialized feeds. While the sector showed signs of recovery, these improvements have not yet been sufficient to restore stock levels to previous highs. As a result, the demand for aquafeed remains lower than in years past, contributing to a continued decline in feed production.
- Europe: Here the sector has demonstrated resilient growth over the past five years, with a 2.1% rise in feed production continuing that upward trend. This increase is underpinned by strategic adaptations to sustainability demands, technological advancements and market dynamics. Atlantic salmon, sea bass and sea bream — species with strong European production bases — are driving growth by commanding premium prices around the world. Additionally, lower aquafeed costs have eased margins for European producers. Looking ahead, structural challenges will test the sector’s ability to sustain growth, demanding continued innovation, improved biosecurity measures and policy alignment to secure resilience.
- Latin America: The Latin American aquaculture sector declined by 2.3% mainly due to new import tax regulations and declining shrimp feed usage in Ecuador. Despite those setbacks, other Latin American countries — like Chile and Peru — benefited from favourable biological conditions that helped boost aquaculture yields, including cooler water temperatures. Additionally, government incentives promoting aquaculture in countries like Brazil and Chile, including subsidies for feed production and support for export activities, could help drive recovery in the coming years. Looking ahead, demand for aquaculture products in Latin America is expected to remain robust. Industry growth, however, may depend on regulatory adjustments and cost efficiencies in key markets.
North America: Aquafeed tonnage fell by 3.7% in North America on the heels of multiple headwinds for the industry. Salmon producers were challenged by sea lice and winter sores, while shrimp production has reached an oversupply, limiting feed demand. Some producers scaled down due to weak margins, especially on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The industry is currently in a state of unease, as the largest shrimp farmer in the United States filed for bankruptcy in early 2025.
Many North American aquaculture producers are now weighing their path forward, knowing that future feed demand patterns will depend largely on industry-wide shifts in herd management, disease mitigation strategies, economic pressures and environmental factors.
Oceania: Aquafeed production experienced a high growth rate of 9.3% in Oceania due to the debut of new aquaculture operation sites and broadening species portfolios. Expansion has also been driven by government interest in the sector and by the market’s adjacency to Asia-Pacific.
What to Expect in 2025
In addition to the quantitative feed survey data, a qualitative survey drew insights from 82 countries on themes such as optimism for the future, anticipated challenges, and the factors expected to have the greatest impact in 2025.
Modest growth
Based on these insights and other forecasts, the global agri-food sector is expected to maintain modest growth in 2025, with the pace and distribution of that growth varying by region and species.
Regions that prioritize biosecurity, cost efficiency and sustainable innovation are expected to perform well, but regional dynamics — including disease outbreaks, sustainability regulations, and economic volatility — will likely continue to impact global feed production
Optimism by sector
Survey respondents reported being optimistic about the poultry sector, with varying levels of optimism across the other species sectors:
- Poultry: 67% expect positive growth for broiler and layer feeds
- Pet food: 60% anticipate growth, driven by global premiumization trends
- Aquaculture: 40% cautiously optimistic despite supply and environmental constraints
- Beef: 34% cautiously optimistic, with only 1% highly optimistic despite strong 2024 performance
Innovations for more efficient and sustainable production
Efforts to make agricultural production more efficient and environmentally friendly will continue to be prioritized across the world. These initiatives are driven largely by governments in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Latin America, while consumers were reported to be the main force behind sustainable change in North America, according to survey responses.
Enhanced feed production efficiency and sustainability are often dependent on innovative technologies and solutions — and that is sure to remain true in 2025. When asked which technologies are having the most impact on agriculture, respondents cited:
- New nutritional solutions (10.9%)
- Genetics (10.0%)
- Biosecurity (9.3%)
- Renewable energy technologies (9.0%)
- Biogas/anaerobic digestion (7.8%)
- Data collection and analysis (7.8%)
- Automation/robotics (7.2%)
- Greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction technologies (4.6%)
- Soil health (3.8%)
- Aerial imagery/drone technology (3.3%)
Economic headwinds
Economic volatility is also a potential cause for concern, with input costs expected to rise in the European Union and tariffs making headlines in North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Conflicts in Africa and the Middle East will also likely affect prices and the global supply chain. With the geopolitical landscape currently evolving at breakneck speed, the economic repercussions for the agri-food industry remain difficult to forecast — but could very well be widespread and game-changing.
Aquaculture: Aquaculture production will likely vary by region. Modest growth is expected in Europe and select Latin American markets, driven by sustainable innovations and export demand, but Asia-Pacific will be sensitive to disease and weather risks and cost pressures in key markets. Continued innovation and government-driven initiatives will be necessary for the industry to remain resilient.
This annual survey conducted by Alltech, covered more than 27,000 feed mills, 140 countries, data for every major species, key trends, challenges and opportunities.
Interactive maps, data and downloadable resources.
