Saudi Arabia seeks to reach self-sufficiency in fisheries; exports exceed SAR 1 bln: official

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's flag

Saudi Arabia seeks to reach self-sufficiency in fisheries within five years, Asharq News TV channel reported, citing Ali Al Shaikhi, CEO of the National Fisheries Development Program.

He added that the Kingdom's fish exports exceeded SAR one billion.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's fish imports declined by 40% in 2021 compared with 2019, the top executive said, noting that the program is working currently to establish a fish hatchery covering 50% of the Kingdom's local needs.

Fisheries industry in the Kingdom is witnessing rapid developments, as major companies have recently entered into the sector, including NEOM Company.

Saudi fish products reached more than 35 countries, including Russia and Singapore.

The Kingdom's production of fish farming projects stood at nearly 19,000 tons during the first half of 2021, Al Shaikhi said.

He added that there are several organizational, operational, and strategic challenges, including low demand for locally farmed products, weak local consumption of fish products, in addition to low efficiency of feed. This led to high operational costs, which constitute 60% of the cost of production and are three times higher than the international best practices in this field.