Ho Gim Chong
Business Development Manager & Technical Service – Aqua
Lucta Asia
Thailand
Ho has been the Business Development Manager & Technical Service – Aqua at Lucta, Thailand, since 2024. He is also Country Manager for Malaysia. Ho has over 13 years of experience leading regional commercial and technical teams across the APAC aquaculture industry with proven success in expanding market share, driving revenue growth, and spearheading innovative feed solutions. Adept in stakeholder management, feedmilling operations, and aquafeed formulation, he led a major project with Vietnam’s largest feedmill, fish farm, and shrimp farm and provided technical and business support to the China (Zhuhai & Hainan) market on red coral grouper.
Prior to Lucta, Ho was with Skretting Asia from 2018 – 2023 as Business Development Manager – Asia where he managed a regional sales team of 200 personnel, overseeing key markets in Vietnam, Indonesia, and across Asia. He pioneered non-GMO feed exports to Korea and introduced insect meal into shrimp feed during COVID-19 and negotiated key market partnerships, optimizing supply chain and feed sourcing.
Ho started his aquaculture career in 2011 with Alltech Malaysia as Country Manager – Malaysia (Aquaculture), followed by Commercial & Technical Manager – Asia at Nutriad Asia. He has a Master’s Degree in Veterinary Science (Molecular Biology) and a BSc (Hons) in Biology, both from University Putra Malaysia.
| Session | Precision Shrimp Farming & Gap Analyses: Nutrition and Feed Management |
| Presentation | Increasing Farm Productivity Through Feed Palatability: A Sensory-Based Approach in Shrimp Farming* |
Abstract
Shrimp are slow and selective feeders, typically reared in turbid aquatic environments rich in dissolved chemicals. These conditions increase the risk of feed wastage and nutrient leaching, reducing feed quality and contributing to environmental degradation. Together, these factors impair feeding efficiency and decrease farm profitability.
However, shrimp possess highly sensitive sensory receptors distributed across their bodies, enabling them to detect chemical cues and locate food from considerable distances. Extensive research into chemostimulants and their role in chemosensory-driven feeding behavior have opened opportunities to develop practical applications that target the activation of the shrimp’s chemosensory systems. Such strategies can accelerate feed detection and ingestion, leading to improved feed utilization and overall intake.
Asia’s shrimp aquaculture industry faces pressing challenges in optimizing feed utilization, production efficiency, environmental sustainability, and shrimp health. Palatability enhancers are emerging as essential tools, not only for stimulating feed intake and promoting growth but also for supporting the use of alternative ingredients, with positive impacts on the industry’s sustainability and profitability. Moreover, these strategies contribute to improved water quality, resulting in more robust and healthier shrimp.
This presentation will explore practical case studies illustrating how improvements in feed palatability can address these challenges. By leveraging advances in chemosensory science, producers can enhance the productivity, profitability, and resilience of shrimp farming systems.
*Joint presentation with Sofia Morais