Brazilian tilapia producers are backing off earlier production estimates after an opening seven and a half months characterized by high input costs, inflation and interest rates have them delaying planned investments.

At the start of this year investments were expected to fuel another year of double-digit growth in Brazil's massive tilapia sector.

But battered by soaring feed, fuel, energy and other input prices allied to a reduction in consumer spending on animal proteins since the closing months of 2021, tilapia producers are now looking to the end the year where they began.