China invests USD 20 million in aquaculture technology that triples yields

China is investing USD 20 million (EUR 17.6 million) in U.S. technology that is tripling yields and improving the health and quality of fish produced through aquaculture, according the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC).

In 2015, China invested USD 10 million (EUR 8.8 million) in intensive pond aquaculture (IPA) technology, which was developed in the United States at Auburn University, and China is expected to invest another USD 10 million in 201, according to a press release from the USSEC. The technology was first demonstrated in China in 2013 and has since been adopted at aquaculture facilities throughout the country.

The “We’re very pleased that the IPA technology has yielded such successful results and is being so widely adopted in China,” said Colby Sutter, director of the International Soy in Aquaculture Program. “USSEC remains committed to working with the Chinese government and aquaculture producers to help improve the sustainability of their products with innovative technologies.”

The system involves the use of raceways within ponds, with aerators and lift systems circulating water constantly in order to mimic the flow of a river, according to Farm Progress. Fingerlings, midgrowth fish and growout fish are separated by size and growth stage into separate raceways and fed four times a day from automatic feeders,” the magazine reported. Raceways can also be used to easily capture mature fish ready for harvesting, the article said.

The IPA system also reduces the water use of aquaculture systems and protects water quality by removing waste and recycling it for use as biodiesel and fertilizer. This is especially important in China, as water resources have become “compromised and overexploited,” according to the press release.

While the system raises overall costs of an aquaculture system, the increased yield and savings of time and labor still result in higher profits, said Jim Zhang, the regional director of USSEC’s aquaculture program.

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