Twin Screw Extruded Fish Feed Mill Plant in Egypt

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Why Egypt? 

Egypt’s aquaculture sector is the largest in Africa and the 7th largest in the world. Key indicators:

The opportunity: Extruded feed is superior to pelleted feed for fish because:

• Extruded pellets float (tilapia feed) or sink slowly (catfish feed)
• Extrusion gelatinizes starch (improves digestibility by 15-20%)
• Extrusion kills pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli)
• Extruded pellets have better water stability (don’t disintegrate in water)

The client’s target market:

The client’s breakeven point is 15,000 tons/year (60% capacity). Their existing distribution network to 1,500+ fish farms guarantees 10,000 tons, so they need only 5,000 additional tons to break even.

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Raw Materials: 50+ Ingredients for High-Quality Fish Feed

The client uses an extensive list of ingredients. Key ingredients include:

Note on fish meal grades: The client uses fish meal from multiple sources — Japanese grade (1,422t), Taiwanese grade (234t), Thai grade (89t), Mauritania (243t), Danish (53t), US red (102t), Vietnamese (32t), domestic grades B and D (244t). This ensures consistent protein (65-70%) and amino acid profile.

Raw material storage:

• Bulk grains: in silos
• Bagged ingredients: 2,000m² raw material warehouse (25kg, 50kg, 70kg, 100kg, 200kg bags)
• Liquids (oils, squid paste): 2 × 50m³ tanks for soybean phospholipid oil

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Site and Building Layout (Existing 5-Story Building)

The client’s Twin Screw Extruded Fish Feed Mill Plant in Egypt is in Sharqia Governorate, about 80km northeast of Cairo. The site has:

The extruded aqua feed production line is on the 5th and 4th floors of the shrimp feed building (the shrimp feed line uses other floors). The client added new equipment on the upper floors, with gravity flow to lower floors for packaging.

Floor plan (extruded feed line only):

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Equipment Configuration 

The client chose a complete twin-screw extruded floating fish feed production line from RICHI.

Equipment by section:

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Process Flow

This is a sophisticated Twin Screw Extruded Fish Feed Mill Plant in Egypt for high-quality extruded fish feed. Key differences from pelleted feed: two-stage grinding (hammer mill + ultra-fine), two-stage batching, twin-screw extrusion, drying, and oil coating.

Step 1: Raw Material Receiving and Cleaning

Bagged ingredients: Forklifts unload pallets into the raw material warehouse (2,000m²). Operators manually dump bags into the intake hopper (with dust collection). The material is lifted to the 5th floor by bucket elevator.

Bulk grains (barley, corn): Pneumatic tankers unload into receiving pits, then bucket elevators lift to cleaning.

Cleaning equipment on 5th floor (per line):

• Drum pre-cleaner (SCQZ90×80×110) — removes stones, twine, debris
• Magnetic separator (TCXT25) — removes ferrous metal

After cleaning, material is distributed to 23 ingredient bins by rotary distributor.

Step 2: First Batching and Mixing

Fish feed requires precise batching of 20+ ingredients. The client uses 3 scales: 1,000kg for major ingredients, 250kg for minors, and 50kg for micros.

Batching sequence (automated by PLC):

1. Major ingredients (grains, protein meals) feed from bins via screw feeders (TLSUW20)
2. Scale fills to target (accuracy ±0.1%)
3. Discharge to mixer (SLHSJ2A, 30 kW)

First mixer parameters:

• Type: Twin-shaft paddle
• Capacity: 2m³ (≈ 1,200-1,500 kg per batch)
• Mix time: 90-120 seconds
• Coefficient of variation (CV): <5%

Step 3: First Grinding (Hammer Mill)

After first mixing, the material goes to the hammer mill for coarse grinding.

Hammer mill parameters:

• Rotor width: 125mm
• Screen size: 1.5mm (for fish feed — finer than livestock feed)
• Throughput: 5-6 t/h

Step 4: Second Grinding (Ultra-Fine — Critical for Fish Feed)

Fish require very fine particles (100-200 microns) for optimal digestibility. Pelleted feed for chickens is 800-1,200 microns — 4-6x coarser.

The pre-ground material is conveyed to two ultra-fine mills (SWFL017C, 132 kW each).

Ultra-fine mill parameters (each):

• Type: High-speed hammer mill with built-in classifier
• Particle size: 100-200 microns (0.1-0.2mm)
• Screen size: 0.8-1.0mm
• Rotor speed: 4,500+ RPM

Step 5: Second Batching and Mixing (Micro-Ingredients)

The ultra-fine ground material is lifted to 3 ingredient bins on the 3rd floor. Micro-ingredients (premix, minerals, small-quantity proteins) are added at this stage.

Second mixer (SLHSJ0.5A, 11 kW):

• Capacity: 0.5m³ (≈ 300-400 kg per batch)
• Mix time: 60-90 seconds

Step 6: Extrusion (Twin-Screw)

This is the heart of the aqua feed plant. Twin-screw extrusion is superior to single-screw for fish feed because it provides better mixing, higher shear, and more uniform cooking.

The final mix is conveyed to the twin-screw floating fish feed extruder machine on the 2nd floor.

Conditioning system (steam injection):

• Single-shaft conditioner — low-shear preconditioning
• Twin-shaft differential conditioner — high-shear, high-temperature

Conditioning parameters:

Twin-screw extruder parameters (SJPS166×2):

Production capabilities:

Step 7: Drying

Wet pellets (20-25% moisture) from the extruder drop onto the belt dryer.

Dryer parameters:

• Type: Multi-pass belt dryer
• Temperature: 80-100°C
• Retention time: 20-40 minutes
• Outlet moisture: 8-10%

Energy source: Steam from district heating. The client uses 9,132 tons of steam annually. No coal or gas boiler on site — the client connects to the industrial park’s central steam system.

Odor control at dryer: The mesh belt dryer exhaust (containing volatile organic compounds from fish meal) is captured and sent to:

1. Spray tower — removes particulate
2. Biofilter — breaks down organic odors
3. Activated carbon — polishes residual odors
4. Catalytic oxidation — final treatment
5. 40m stack (higher than surrounding buildings to avoid complaints)

Step 8: Oil Coating (Vacuum)

Dried pellets (8-10% moisture) are conveyed to the vacuum oil sprayer.

Oil coating parameters:

• Type: Vacuum coating
• Oil addition: 5-10% of pellet mass (fish oil, soybean oil, phospholipid oil)
• Vacuum pressure: -0.6 to -0.8 bar
• Oil penetration: Deep into pellet (not just surface)

Why vacuum coating? Standard spray coating only coats the surface. Vacuum coating pulls air out of the pellets, then oil is sucked deep into the pores. This improves:

• Oil retention (less dust during handling)
• Palatability (oil throughout the pellet)
• Shelf life (oil is protected from oxidation)

Step 9: Cooling and Screening

Oil-coated pellets (still warm, 50-60°C) go to the counterflow cooler.

Cooler parameters:

• Retention time: 10-15 minutes
• Outlet temperature: ambient + 5-8°C (25-30°C in Cairo)

Screening: Cooled pellets pass through two screeners:

• Primary screener — removes oversized pellets (return to extruder)
• Secondary screener — removes fines (return to start)

Step 10: Packaging

Finished pellets are stored in 5 finished bins on the 1st floor.

Packaging line:

• Two bagging scales — 25kg bags
• Conveyor and bag sealer
• Robot palletizer (shared with shrimp feed line)

Packaging speed: 8-10 bags/minute per scale × 2 = 16-20 bags/minute (about 24-30 tons/hour, well above line capacity).

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Utilities and Consumption

Electricity breakdown (annual, 200 days, 20 hours/day = 4,000 hours):

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How RICHI Customized This Line for Fish Feed

The client had specific requirements that shaped the equipment design:

Requirement 1: The client needed both floating (tilapia) and sinking (catfish) pellets from the same line. Floating pellets require lower density (by adding air during extrusion), sinking pellets require higher density.

RICHI solution: The twin-screw extruder (SJPS166×2) has adjustable screw configuration and die design. For floating pellets:

• Higher screw speed (400-500 RPM)
• More shear sections in the screw
• Die hole size 3-4mm

For sinking pellets:

• Lower screw speed (250-350 RPM)
• Less shear
• Die hole size 4-6mm

The client can switch between floating and sinking in about 2 hours (change screw configuration and die).

Requirement 2: The client had strict odor control requirements because the facility is near residential areas (the Nile Delta is densely populated). Fish meal odors are strong, and the drying process releases volatile organic compounds.

RICHI solution: Multi-stage odor control:

1. Enclosed equipment at all odor points (extruder, dryer)
2. Spray tower — removes particulate
3. Biofilter — breaks down organic odors
4. Activated carbon — polishes residual odors
5. Catalytic oxidation — final treatment for VOCs
6. 40m stack (higher than surrounding buildings)

Requirement 3: The client has limited qualified operators in Egypt. They needed a system that is easy to operate and maintain.

RICHI solution:

• Centralized PLC control system with touchscreen interface (in Arabic and English)
• Automatic startup/shutdown sequences
• Alarm system for abnormal conditions (bearing temperature, motor overload, vibration)
• Provided a 5-week on-site training program:
  • Week 1-2: Basic safety, machine operation, daily checks
  • Week 3: Extruder screw configuration, die changes
  • Week 4-5: Troubleshooting and maintenance

Requirement 4: The client has no on-site boiler (uses district heating from a steam system). The client needed a line that could use steam from an external source.

RICHI solution: The conditioner and dryer use steam at 5-6 bar. The client installed a steam pressure reducing station and flow meters to monitor consumption.

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Product Specifications

The client’s extruded fish feed meets Egyptian standards (ES: 4920/2005 for fish feed).

Tilapia floating feed (3mm, 32% protein):

Catfish sinking feed (5mm, 28% protein):

Pricing (as of October 2025):

Comparison with imported feed:

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Market Outlook for Extruded Fish Feed in Egypt

Egypt’s aquaculture sector is growing at 5-8% annually. Key drivers:

1. Government support for aquaculture. The government’s “1.5 Million Feddan” project (land reclamation in the desert) includes fish farming in new agricultural areas.

2. Protein demand. Egypt’s population of 110+ million is growing. Fish is a primary protein source (cheaper than beef or chicken).

3. Import substitution. Imported extruded feed is expensive and often delayed. The client’s local production is 15-25% cheaper.

4. Technology upgrade. Many Egyptian fish farms still use pelleted feed or even raw ingredients (maize, soybean meal). Extruded feed improves feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 1.8:1 to 1.4:1 — 30% less feed for the same fish growth.

Competition: There are 15-20 extruded feed producers in Egypt (10,000-50,000 tons/year). The client’s 25,000 tons/year puts them in the top tier.

Challenges the client is managing:

The client’s breakeven point is 15,000 tons/year (60% capacity). At full capacity (25,000 tons/year), operating margin is about 20-25%. Payback on equipment ($1.85 million) is about 3 years.

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Why a Twin-Screw Extruded Fish Feed Line Makes Sense in Egypt

Egypt has a large aquaculture sector, growing fish consumption, and government support. Here’s why you should consider this market:

The Nile Delta is the ideal location. Raw materials (soybean meal, corn, wheat) arrive at Alexandria port. Fish farms are in the Delta. The client’s facility is centrally located.

Imported fish meal is available. Alexandria port handles fish meal from Peru, Chile, Denmark, and Vietnam. The client uses 2,600+ tons of fish meal annually.

Steam is available (district heating). The client doesn’t need an on-site boiler — they connect to the industrial park’s steam system. This reduces capital cost and eliminates boiler emissions.

The market is growing. Egyptians are eating more fish. Extruded feed is the future.

If you’re considering an extruded fish feed line in Egypt (or any country with aquaculture), RICHI can help. We’ve designed twin-screw extruder lines for tilapia, catfish, shrimp, and other species. We understand the challenges (fine grinding, odor control, steam conditioning, oil coating) and can recommend the right equipment.

Contact us to discuss your fish feed mill project. Tell us about your target species (tilapia, catfish, shrimp), raw materials, site conditions, and budget. We’ll prepare a customized process flow, equipment list, and budget estimate — no obligation.