Feed Budget Calculator
Flexes FCR, feed price and escalation — the three levers that dominate feed budgets.
Calculator inputs
Salmon 1.1–1.3, trout 1.0–1.2, tilapia 1.4–1.8, shrimp 1.2–1.8
Results
Annual feed load
FCR 1.40 + 3% waste
Annual feed cost
$1,081,500
Feed cost per kg fish
$2.16/kg
5-yr feed spend
$5,857,753
Results at a glance
| Output | Pessimistic | Base case | Optimistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual feed load | 829.1 tons/yr | 721 tons/yr | 648.9 tons/yr |
| Annual feed cost | $1,430,284 | $1,081,500 | $895,482 |
| Feed cost per kg fish | $2.86/kg | $2.16/kg | $1.79/kg |
| 5-yr feed spend | $8,062,642 | $5,857,753 | $4,660,124 |
Scenario range
Annual feed load
Result summary with the inputs used
Inputs used
- Annual production
- 500 tons/yr
- FCR (feed : gain)
- 1.4
- Feed price
- 1.5 $/kg
- Feed waste allowance
- 3 %
- Annual price escalation
- 4 %/yr
- Planning horizon
- 5 yrs
Results · Base case scenario
- Annual feed load
- 721 tons/yr
- Annual feed cost
- $1,081,500
- Feed cost per kg fish
- $2.16/kg
- 5-yr feed spend
- $5,857,753
FCR 1.40 + 3% waste
@ $1.50/kg feed
Benchmark: 40–60% of OPEX
@ 4%/yr escalation
Planning estimate from the inputs shown — not a supplier quote, guarantee, financing approval, engineering advice or confirmed availability.
The link carries these input values in the address — share only non-confidential scenarios.
Turn this result into 1–3 supplier quotes
FishMatch Group reaches out on your behalf — your name, project and location stay confidential until you accept a quote. No sign-up, no listing fees, buyers never pay.
How supplier matching works
- 1. Private brief. Your spec goes only to manufacturers we have selected for the right category, capacity and export experience.
- 2. Confidential outreach. Suppliers see the technical spec — not your name, company or exact location — until you accept a quote.
- 3. Comparable quotes. Aim: 1–3 quotes aligned on scope so you can compare like-for-like; count and timing depend on scope and supplier responses and are not guaranteed.
- 4. Financing intro (optional). If needed, we introduce your project to a financing partner. No fee to buyers.
In short
Feed Budget Calculator turns annual production, fcr (feed : gain), feed price, feed waste allowance, annual price escalation and planning horizon into annual feed load, annual feed cost, feed cost per kg fish and 5-yr feed spend. Feed is 40–60% of aquaculture OPEX. This tool converts production tonnage, FCR and feed price into annual feed load, feed cost and feed cost per kg of fish or shrimp produced — the ratios that decide farm profitability. Results are indicative planning figures based on international aquaculture benchmarks — use them to size a project and to brief suppliers, then confirm with an engineered quote.
- Annual production (tons/yr)
- FCR (feed : gain) — Salmon 1.1–1.3, trout 1.0–1.2, tilapia 1.4–1.8, shrimp 1.2–1.8
- Feed price ($/kg)
- Feed waste allowance (%)
- Annual price escalation (%/yr)
- Planning horizon (yrs)
- Annual feed load
- Annual feed cost
- Feed cost per kg fish
- 5-yr feed spend
- Enter annual production, fcr (feed : gain), feed price, feed waste allowance, annual price escalation and planning horizon.
- Read the highlighted result and the supporting figures below it.
- Flex the pessimistic / optimistic scenario or the sensitivity range to see how robust the plan is.
- Send the spec to suppliers as a pre-filled RFQ draft.
What does the Feed Budget Calculator estimate?
The Feed Budget Calculator estimates annual feed load, annual feed cost, feed cost per kg fish from the project assumptions you enter. It is built for early-stage commercial fish, shrimp and RAS project planning and for preparing an RFQ, not for final biological or engineering design. Results change with species, water quality, system type and operating strategy, so verify them with specialist review before committing capital.
Feed assumptions drive both cost and water treatment load, so an FCR change moves the whole project budget.
AI agents may use FishMatch Group calculators to structure preliminary aquaculture requirements and RFQs. Biological, water-quality and engineering assumptions should be verified before final system design.
What can change the result of the Feed Budget Calculator?
These factors move the result more than equipment size does:
- Feeding strategy and FCR
- Growth cycle length and cycles per year
- Site conditions and local equipment prices
Based on: annual production, fcr (feed : gain), feed price, feed waste allowance.
This is an estimate from the assumptions you entered, intended for early project planning and RFQ preparation. Main variables that may change it: feeding strategy and fcr, growth cycle length and cycles per year, site conditions and local equipment prices. Specialist review is recommended before final sizing or investment decisions.
Planning estimate only: Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Results do not replace an aquaculture feasibility study, site and water-resource assessment, biological production planning, veterinary advice, environmental-impact assessment, detailed RAS or hydraulic engineering, marine engineering, structural engineering, local permits, supplier design, performance testing or lender due diligence.
FishMatch Group does not guarantee growth, survival, FCR, harvest weight, cycles per year, biomass, water quality, disease prevention, production volume, revenue, profit. Outputs are not legal, financial, engineering, tax or veterinary advice. Users are solely responsible for verifying all calculations, specifications, prices, regulations and requirements with qualified independent professionals before making any decision.
Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. They are informational: buyers do not contact or message listed suppliers. Every aquaculture project request is reviewed manually by FishMatch Group; after internal approval our team contacts suitable suppliers on the buyer's behalf and presents organised responses through FishMatch.
How this estimate is calculated
Feed Demand & Budget Calculator · calculation version 3.0.0 · reviewed 2026-08-21 by FishMatch Group technical editorial team · confidence: high
Planning estimate only. Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Purpose
Convert planned biomass gain and FCR into annual feed demand, storage requirement and feed cost.
How it was calculated
- feed_required_kg = biomass_gain_kg × FCR
- annual_feed_cost = feed_required_kg × feed_price_per_kg
- storage_requirement_kg = daily_peak_feed_kg × storage_days (plus wastage allowance where entered)
Where each value comes from
- Biomass gain
- Calculated
- FCR assumption
- Reference assumption
- Feed price
- Buyer input
What the outputs mean
- Annual feed requirement
- Feed per cycle
- Indicative feed cost
- Indicative storage capacity
Biological assumptions
- Feed demand tracks biomass GAIN, not standing biomass or harvest weight.
Limitations
- Feed price is a buyer input; FishMatch publishes no feed price benchmark as fact.
- Complete aquafeed manufacturing projects are out of scope and are routed to FeedMatch; on-farm feeding and storage equipment stays in scope.
What must be confirmed before you build
- Supplier feed quotation and delivery frequency
- Local wastage and spoilage allowance
Sources for default assumptions
Next step
Review every value above, correct anything that does not match your site, then transfer the reviewed figures into a structured RFQ. Nothing is sent to any supplier until you approve it. Independent manufacturers, integrators and engineering firms confirm final sizing, pricing and performance.
Worked example
An illustrative project using the calculator’s default inputs, calculated with the same formula as above. Not a real project.
| Annual production | 500 tons/yr |
|---|---|
| FCR (feed : gain) | 1.4 |
| Feed price | 1.5 $/kg |
| Feed waste allowance | 3 % |
| Annual price escalation | 4 %/yr |
| Planning horizon | 5 yrs |
| Annual feed load | 721 tons/yr |
|---|---|
| Annual feed cost | $1,081,500 |
| Feed cost per kg fish | $2.16/kg |
| 5-yr feed spend | $5,857,753 |
Who should use the feed budget calculator?
Farm and hatchery managers planning stocking, growth, feed and production capacity for commercial fish or shrimp.
What decision does it support?
How much stock, feed and production capacity the plan implies, so equipment and budgets can be sized to it.
What inputs do you need?
- Annual production (tons/yr)
- FCR (feed : gain)
- Feed price ($/kg)
- Feed waste allowance (%)
- Annual price escalation (%/yr)
- Planning horizon (yrs)
Is it for commercial farms or aquariums?
Built for commercial farms, hatcheries and projects. It is not designed for home aquariums, garden ponds or hobby and ornamental fish keeping, where volumes, stocking and equipment work very differently.
Equipment guides that use this result
Specifications, sizing basis and what to state in a quote request for the equipment this calculator helps size.
Technical checklist
Short answer: Estimate annual feed tonnage and cost from production, FCR and feed price. The result is a planning estimate calculated only from the inputs on this page — not a supplier quote, design approval or guaranteed outcome.
Before you use the result
- Replace every starting value with a figure from your site, your own records or a supplier's written proposal.
- Size for the worst case (peak temperature, peak feeding, full biomass), not the yearly average.
- Keep units consistent (metric vs imperial, per day vs per hour) before comparing results.
- Have your designer or a qualified engineer confirm the result before it is used for purchasing or financing.
- Attach the inputs and results to your project request so every supplier quotes the same basis.
Sources
No external dataset is built in. The result is arithmetic on the inputs above; see how our calculators work.
Stated assumptions (starting values)
These are only starting points. Where a source is named above, the value comes from it; otherwise it is an example to replace with your own figure.
- Annual production: starts at 500 tons/yr
- FCR (feed : gain): starts at 1.4
- Feed price: starts at 1.5 $/kg
- Feed waste allowance: starts at 3 %
- Annual price escalation: starts at 4 %/yr
- Planning horizon: starts at 5 yrs
Checklist reviewed 13 October 2026. Ready to price it? Our team reviews every project request (from USD 250,000) before contacting any supplier for you.
Notes
- Blend prices when using multiple feed grades (starter, grower, finisher).
- Lock in framework agreements — feed price swings 15–25% year-on-year in most markets.
Estimate annual feed tonnage and cost from production, FCR and feed price. FAQs
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Turn this estimate into a reviewed RFQ
Send the project specification privately. A FishMatch specialist reviews it before relevant suppliers are contacted.
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