USGC promotes U.S. corn co-products for sustainable aquaculture at Cairo summit

EGYPT – The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has spotlighted U.S. fermented corn protein (CFP) and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as strategic nutritional solutions to enhance aquaculture production at its third International Aquaculture Conference, held recently in Cairo, Egypt.

Jointly organised by the USGC’s regional offices in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Tunis, Tunisia, the event featured presentations, field visits, and peer-to-peer dialogue aimed at promoting the adoption of U.S. corn-derived feed ingredients in aquaculture.

The conference highlighted the growing need for sustainable, high-protein feed options to support rapidly expanding fish farming sectors in both developing and mature markets.

Nearly 50 delegates from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEA&O) convened to explore the value of these corn co-products in improving fish feed efficiency, especially in a region where Egypt ranks as the third-largest global producer of tilapia.

“After the successes of the Council’s previous International Aquaculture Conferences, it became clear that hosting another meeting in Egypt would be hugely beneficial,” said Mohamed Salah Bouthour, USGC deputy regional director for Africa.

“This country is a leader in aquaculture production, and by sharing the nutritional qualities of U.S. CFP and DDGS, we can help producers boost efficiency and sustainability.”

The conference began with opening remarks from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Egypt, followed by an industry outlook from the chairman of the Egyptian Lakes and Fisheries Resources.

Sessions included country-specific aquaculture updates and discussions on global tilapia production trends.

USGC’s Director of Global Sustainability, Carlos Suárez, emphasised the environmental benefits of using renewable U.S. corn co-products.

 “CFP and DDGS are not only nutritionally valuable but also sustainable ingredients that align with industry goals to reduce the environmental footprint of aquafeeds,” he noted.

Field visits to leading aquaculture entities like Skretting and WorldFish gave participants an on-the-ground perspective of modern fish farming practices in Egypt and opportunities for innovation.

These visits provided a practical context for understanding how CFP and DDGS can be integrated into existing feed systems.

A key highlight of the event was a session led by USGC Regional Aquaculture Consultant Ronnie Tan on global aquafeed supply and demand dynamics, including the growing importance of DDGS in feed formulations.

Following this, USGC Consultant Ayman Rostom moderated a panel of Egyptian feed producers who shared their firsthand experiences using U.S. corn co-products, confirming their nutritional value and supply viability.

“The peer-to-peer learning found here is one of the success factors behind these events that gather participants from many countries,” said Ana Ballesteros, USGC deputy regional director for Europe & the Middle East.

“We want local end-users to share their practical knowledge and success stories with these ingredients.”

Further discussions explored challenges in sourcing feed ingredients and emphasised the strategic role of international cooperation in securing quality inputs.

Representatives from USGC members The Andersons and TransGlobe also offered insights into supply chain logistics and nutritional benefits of U.S. DDGS and CFP.

Caleb Wurth, USGC regional director for SEA&O, reinforced the Council’s goal to expand global adoption.

“Many leading aquaculture companies in SEA&O already incorporate DDGS into their feed compounds. By sharing the latest research and visiting other facilities, the Council can help grow demand globally, creating better prices for U.S. producers and higher quality diets for aquaculture farmers.”

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