Proximar Seafood appoints Yoshihito Ito as Managing Director
JAPAN – Proximar Seafood has officially appointed Yoshihito Ito as the new Managing Director of Proximar Ltd., effective December 2, 2024.
Ito brings over a decade of experience as General Manager at Skretting Japan, and since 2021, he has held the same position at Nutreco Japan.
His extensive background in aquaculture and management is expected to support Proximar’s transition from a project-focused company to a fully operational production entity.
Joachim Nielsen, CEO of Proximar, mentioned Ito’s deep expertise in aquaculture and his international management skills.
Nielsen noted that Ito’s operational experience will be crucial as the company navigates its growth phase.
Prior to his roles at Skretting and Nutreco, Ito was part of the global aquaculture expert team at Nippon Roche K.K., contributing valuable insights to the field.
Recently, Proximar faced challenges, lowering its harvest forecast by 5% due to a biofilter issue in one of its modules.
Despite this setback, the company remains optimistic about achieving its combined harvest target of 4,700 tons for 2024/2025 and aims to reach full production capacity of 5,300 tons by 2027.
In July 2024, Proximar announced a huge milestone with its first sales agreement, which secures a fixed price per kilogram for a substantial portion of its anticipated harvest through 2024.
Although specific pricing details were not disclosed, the company confirmed that it aligns with industry standards and offers a premium over Atlantic salmon imported from Norway.
Proximar has also made strides in its operations this year.
For instance, the biomass of its Atlantic salmon has more than tripled since the end of Q1 2024, reflecting growth in its land-based operations in Japan.
The company’s first domestic harvest of Atlantic salmon took place on September 30, under the new brand Fuji Atlantic Salmon, following the establishment of a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility in Shizuoka Prefecture in 2022.
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