Ukraine 100-150KG/H Floating Fish Feed Production Line

The Motivation: Gaining Control in Uncertain Times

Ukraine’s freshwater aquaculture is diverse, covering species such as carp, trout, and ornamental fish. However, its full potential is often constrained by the high cost of feed — an expense that can represent up to 70% of total operating costs for small- to medium-sized fish farms.

For this fish farmer, the motivation was clear: self-produce, self-use. By establishing his own small-capacity floating fish feed production line in Ukraine, he aimed to take control of feed quality, adjust formulations as needed, and reduce dependency on external suppliers. The timing was critical — with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting global shipping and supply chains, having a local feed solution became more than just a cost-saving measure; it was a strategic necessity to safeguard production continuity.

Raw Material Choices: Leveraging Ukraine’s Agricultural Bounty

Ukraine, often called the “breadbasket of Europe,” is rich in agricultural resources. This makes it practical and economically viable for local fish farmers to source core feed ingredients domestically. For this project, the feed formula was initially based on a blend of widely available crops:

• Corn: A fundamental energy source in feed, easily procured from local farmers.
• Wheat bran: Adds fiber and bulk, while helping with pellet binding.
• Soybean meal: Provides high-quality protein to complement fishmeal.
• Paddy rice and sorghum: Regional grains that diversify the energy base and help manage costs.
• Corn starch: Added on the advice of RICHI’s engineers to correct buoyancy issues in the early test batches.

Interestingly, the floating fish feed production line in Ukraine project faced a practical challenge during initial runs: the fish pellets failed to float properly, an issue that threatened the line’s core goal. Drawing on their expertise, RICHI’s engineers suggested tweaking the formula by increasing corn starch levels — a simple but effective adjustment that restored proper buoyancy. This hands-on technical support, even remotely, showcased the value of partnering with an experienced equipment provider.

Compact but Complete: The Ukraine Production Process in Focus

The installed floating fish feed production line in Ukraine was designed to be straightforward yet robust enough to handle the daily feed requirements of the farm’s ponds. Its flow integrates key feed processing stages into a smooth, efficient system, ensuring that the final feed pellets meet nutritional and physical quality standards.

1. Crushing and Grinding: Raw grains like corn, wheat bran, and paddy rice are first processed through the fish feed grinder (11KW). The grinder reduces them to a fine, consistent powder that optimizes the mixing and extrusion process.
2. Mixing: Next, the ground ingredients are fed into a batch mixer (250kg/batch). Here, the different components, including fishmeal, soybean meal, and the critical corn starch addition, are thoroughly combined to ensure a homogeneous blend. A uniform mix is essential for producing pellets that have stable buoyancy and meet the nutritional needs of the fish.
3. Extruding: The blended material then enters the dry type fish feed extruder machine (22KW). This machine uses high temperature and pressure to shape and cook the pellets, ensuring proper expansion so the feed floats well in water — a key feature for fish farmers who want to reduce waste and keep ponds clean.
4. Drying and Coating: After extrusion, the moist, warm pellets pass through the dryer, which lowers the moisture content to a safe storage level while preserving the feed’s texture. A coating machine then applies a light layer of oil or flavor enhancers to improve palatability and nutritional balance.

Notably, the floating fish feed production line in Ukraine does not include a packing system since all the feed produced is used immediately on-site. This practical design choice minimized unnecessary costs, aligning perfectly with the farmer's goal of “produce what you use.”

Detailed Equipment Configuration: Practical and Efficient

Below is a snapshot of the main equipment used in this Ukraine floating fish feed line:

The customer also received a comprehensive package of support materials, including a flow chart, pit drawings, installed layout, and operating instructions — all vital for smooth installation and daily operation, especially since the project was executed entirely online.

End Product and Use: Quality Feed for Better Fish

The final output of this floating fish feed production line in Ukraine is high-quality, floating fish feed pellets ranging from 2mm to 6mm in size. This range allows the farmer to feed fish at different growth stages — from fingerlings to mature stock — with appropriate pellet sizes to maximize feed conversion and growth rates.

Since this feed is intended solely for the farm’s internal use, there is no commercial sales element. This approach keeps the feed fresh, ensures tight quality control, and enables rapid adjustments to feed formulas as farming conditions evolve.

Ukraine's Outlook: Growing Opportunities for Smart Feed Investments

Ukraine's fish farming sector continues to expand, driven by domestic demand and export opportunities. However, profitability often hinges on managing feed costs, which can be volatile due to fluctuations in global protein markets.

Small- and medium-scale fish farmers like this customer illustrate a practical path forward: investing in flexible, locally controlled feed production that leverages Ukraine’s abundant grains and agricultural by-products. By processing feed in-house, farmers reduce risk, boost efficiency, and gain a competitive edge.

Projects like this one also align with Ukraine’s broader push to modernize its agricultural industries. Local governments and industry groups increasingly promote value-added processing — turning basic crops into higher-value products like aquafeed — as a way to build rural economies and create jobs.

Overcoming Obstacles: How RICHI Delivered During a Global Crisis

One standout aspect of this project was its execution amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel bans and health risks made in-person visits impossible. Despite these challenges, RICHI Machinery demonstrated its capacity to deliver complex solutions remotely.

The entire negotiation, technical planning, equipment manufacturing, shipping, and installation guidance were handled online. By providing clear installation drawings, layout diagrams, pit plans, and detailed operation instructions, RICHI empowered the farmer's local team to complete installation smoothly within 10 days.

This level of professional remote service highlights why more and more global clients trust RICHI for mission-critical feed mill projects.

Expanding Impact: A Proven Model with Global Relevance

The floating fish feed production line in Ukraine project joins a growing portfolio of successful small-scale floating fish feed lines delivered by RICHI across the globe — from the UK to Botswana, Moldova to the Philippines. Each project demonstrates how a tailored approach, combined with local raw materials and practical configurations, can unlock profitability for farmers, whether they raise catfish, carp, trout, or ornamental species.

In Ukraine's case, this project also complements other pellet production lines supplied by RICHI in the country, including a 500KG/H wood pellet production line and multiple biomass pellet projects. This cross-sector experience means customers benefit from proven technology adapted to diverse raw materials, product requirements, and local operating conditions.

Investing Smartly in Self-Reliant Fish Feed Production

For fish farmers across Ukraine and Eastern Europe, this 100-150KG/H floating fish feed production line in Ukraine serves as a clear example: by producing feed locally, they gain control over cost, quality, and supply, even during periods of global uncertainty.

The project demonstrates the powerful impact of simple, reliable equipment backed by professional support — whether on-site or remote — and the flexibility to solve real-world challenges, like improving pellet buoyancy with practical recipe tweaks.

If you're a fish farmer looking to lower feed costs, raise healthier fish, and secure your farm's future, RICHI Machinery's practical, customized solutions are ready to support you every step of the way. Let's build your feed independence together.