Bioekonomi

Business diversication

Doing agriculture or aquaculture farming business nowadays is demanding a sustainable and eco-friendly approach. There are a few reasons for that, mainly customers are living in the cities where is required to reduce the ecofootprint in every aspect of living. Simply customers want ecofriendly products. At the same time a sustainable approach for using resources, slowly coming into the agricultural sector and with the regulation changing understanding how to do business and take care of nature. So the pressure from both sides steps by step changes life for the better future.

Changing approach in agriculture costing a lot, new methods sometimes need new technology and but at the same time give unexpected benefits. One of the most significant benefits for farms became naturally interested from the citizens to come and check how it goes. That desire brings visitors and money with them.

Quite soon farmers realised that eco-friendly farm could also create profit from the tourists. So the answer did not take a long time. Farm and tourists clusters have appeared all over the world.

“SalmonFarm” Oy, one of the pioneers of salmon aquaculture in Finland. Located at Kimito municipality of Finland is took the wave and with the development of the main business started to develop hotel and restaurant business in the Turku archipelago.
Advantageous location, high-quality fish products, smart organization of accommodation for tourists and business became a success for the local community. It brings about 20 employees in the low season and more than triple during the summer. The local community now is more sustainable and wealthy.

But not only tourism and accommodation make the “SalmonFarms” business diversified. The local market showed a demand for sustainable products for the fisher industry. Own need and increased demand for the local provider for feeding fish in the cages lead the company to a new business that became a main investment at the moment. Catch herring and sprat by own fleet with subsequent production fishmeal and fish oil lead company for a new market, making it a leader and supporting sustainability. Catching and using local fish as feed for the salmon in the cages SalmonFarm reduces foreign nutrients and circulates the sea's nutrients. The fish caught in the Baltic Sea, processed into feed, and fed in local cages, is involved in phosphorus and nitrogen processing.

Finally, activities of the local company support sustainability, provide recreation services and improve food security in the region. All benefits were shared with the local community and people all over Finland, who decided to spend a vacation in that region. At the moment, the company are profitable and brings income for the owners. So, the conclusion that could be done that sustainable business brings benefits for all.

Photo Credits Karlis Dzjamko: Pexels

30.03.2021