Singapore Rainbow Trout Farm Trial Operation: 1200 Tonnes Annual Output Ready for Market

Singapore's first rainbow trout farm has started trial operation, with locally farmed rainbow trout expected to be served at tables as early as year-end.

Local aquaculture operator Blue Aqua held a launch ceremony on Thursday (June 4) at its rainbow trout farm on Lim Chu Kang Liang Jiu Harvest Lane, announcing phased capacity expansion. The farm's initial annual output is expected to reach 1200 tonnes, with potential to increase to 3000 tonnes in the future.

Occupying 1.6 hectares, this land-based farm cost about S$45 million. Since rainbow trout are cold-water fish with strict requirements for water temperature, quality, and environment, the operator uses advanced recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) with fully enclosed environmental control to precisely adjust temperature, water quality, and biosecurity in the local tropical climate.

According to reporters' observations that day, the farm's infrastructure is largely complete, but the rearing tanks have not yet been filled. Blue Aqua founder Farshad Shishehchian revealed that the company has prepared fish eggs, which will take about 8 to 10 months to grow into 500g adult fish.

Farshad said the company hopes to start producing rainbow trout by year-end to test market response; the first batch of locally farmed trout is expected to weigh between 350g and 400g.

As for the initial output, Farshad admitted it is still difficult to predict accurately. 'We need a lot of debugging and optimization. The results could be far better or worse than expected; it is essentially a process of continuous calibration and improvement.'

Farshad noted that the company also operates a shrimp farm in the same area, with an annual output of about 120 tonnes. Rainbow trout and shrimp are different species with different farming challenges and advantages. Although the initial capital investment for rainbow trout farming is higher, the system is highly automated and integrated with AI management, making overall operations easier to manage precisely.

Regarding the future gradual increase in annual output, Farshad emphasized that this is not an ordinary automated farm, but a fully controlled farming system. 'Our data is very precise because all planning is calculated and designed based on actual production capacity.'

According to data released by the Singapore Food Agency in May, local farms produced 3,800 tonnes of seafood last year, an increase of 8.6% from 3,500 tonnes the previous year, but only accounting for about 2.7% of the national seafood supply. Meanwhile, seafood imports rose from 124,600 tonnes to 138,000 tonnes, highlighting high reliance on imports.

Number of Local Farms Declines for Five Consecutive Years

Overall, the operating environment for local farms remains difficult, with the number of farms declining for five consecutive years. Official data shows that the number of offshore farms has shrunk from 109 in 2022 to 67 last year; land-based farms are relatively stable, with 34 as of 2024.

Blue Ocean Aquaculture Technology also operates land-based indoor farms. Managing Director Huang Yisheng previously stated that indoor farm operating costs are inherently high, and if a break-even point cannot be achieved in the long run, they will eventually be eliminated by the market.

Farshad admitted that the company has experienced many failures and lessons, and will learn from them to avoid repeating mistakes. 'We don't want to see another failure case,' he said. The company has carefully calculated cost-effectiveness and is confident that local rainbow trout can be priced lower than imported ones, enhancing market competitiveness.