Insect producers see opportunity amid potential fishmeal shortage

The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed is calling for government incentives they say would allow insect meal to address an El Nino-induced shortage of marine ingredients.

July 20, 2026

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Artur GOLBERT | iStock.com

Amid growing concern that this year's “Super El Niño" could disrupt key fisheries and trigger a global fishmeal shortage, the budding insect meal industry believes it is ready to meet the moment.

Bankruptcies and closures of high-profile insect producers have dogged the industry in recent years. But the total production of insect meal continues to grow, and prices are now “within an order of magnitude” of the cost of fishmeal, according to Aude Guo, a co-founder of insect-focused biotechnology firm Innovafeed and a member of the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) board.

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