he world's largest seabass and sea bream farmer, Turkey's Kilic Deniz Holding, is planning to maintain production volumes at around 65,000 metric tons this year; stable compared with last year.

Total volumes include Kilic's operations in Turkey, Albania and Dominican Republic. 

“We are expecting stable [bass and bream] prices,” Kilic’s vice president, Sinan Kiziltan, told Undercurrent News, adding that further consolidation in the sector will help to stabilize prices for those species.

Bass and bream prices have been falling through the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018, driven by seasonal lower demand and a rise in production in the Mediterranean, and have only partially recovered as summer begins.

Meanwhile, the sale process of Nireus Aquaculture and Selonda Aquaculture -- the two largest Greek bass and bream producers -- might be delayed until the end of 2018.

The deal's completion was expected to be announced in April, though further consolidation could take place in the Turkish market, according to sources. This delay in Greek consolidation might slow down the expected recovery of bass and bream prices, Kiziltan said.

Further consolidation "could happen [in Turkey]", Kiziltan said, referring to potential M&As in Turkey, but without providing any hint or additional details. 

Kilic has also started to produce salmon trout weighing over 3 kilograms, which "is becoming popular on the Turkish market" as an alternative to salmon from Norway. 

The company is also diversifying its export markets, boosting sales in the US and Asia; emerging markets for bass and bream, he said.

Last year, Kilic began production at its farm in Dominican Republic. The first harvest in the country is expected in September 2018, Kiziltan said. Depending on feed conversion ratios and mortality rates, production in the country could increase next year, he also said, pointing out that results so far were "very positive".

The Dominican Republic operation is intended to help the Turkish bass and bream giant expand its presence in the US market.

Meanwhile, Kilic last year also started farming 2,000t of bass and bream in northern Cyprus. "It is going very well," Kiziltan noted.

In 2017 the firm also moved part of its production to southern Turkey.

Credit matilde mereghetti of under current news