Saudi Arabia has continued to make “substantial progress” in fish production and is heading toward self-sufficiency with an ambitious plan currently in place, said Jaber Mohamed Al-Shehri, vice agriculture minister for fishery affairs, here yesterday.
“The plan is to promote aquaculture in the Kingdom and to increase fish production from the current 100,000 tons per year to 1 million tons within the next 17 years,” said the official.
Al-Shehri was speaking to newsmen after formally inaugurating a “Sea Food Festival” at Lulu Hypermarket.
The festival’s opening ceremony was attended by several Saudi officials and top executives of the Lulu Hypermarket including Shehim Mohammed Unni, regional director for the Lulu Hypermarkets. The week-long Lulu seafood festival showcases a huge variety of seafood under one roof in Lulu Hyparmarkets in Riyadh and Eastern Province. The festival at Lulu in Eastern Province was inaugurated by Nabeel Ibrahim Fateh, director of Marine Fisheries Research Institute of the Eastern Province.
Al-Shehri said the state-owned Saudi Agricultural Development Fund (SADF) is leading an initiative at attaining self-sufficiency in the production of fish and seafood.
“It is the seventh initiative launched by the fund, which will go a long way in boosting local production of fish and other variety of seafood,” said the vice minister.
He said the Saudi government aims to increase seafood production to one million tons. “To reach this goal, capacity must grow significantly,” he added. There are many projects licensed for aquaculture and the Saudi government agencies are hopeful that by providing financial incentives, firms will be encouraged to kick-start some projects, he added. He noted that “the Kingdom is also exporting fish to a few countries including China, Japan and some European countries.”
Al-Shehri said the present local production caters to only 40 percent of our domestic consumption.
“We are importing 60 percent of our seafood consumption from various countries,” said the vice minister, adding that the Kingdom is working closely to promote this sector.
The Kingdom recently signed an agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to allocate $ 66.7 million to implement the latter’s technical assistance projects in the Kingdom. As part of this agreement, FAO will provide technical assistance and expertise for 17 specific projects in Saudi Arabia covering several areas under the five-year program from 2012 to 2016. On top of this, the Ministry of Agriculture is exerting every effort in the aquaculture field by offering financial and technical support to existing projects and those who are willing to enter into this sector with new projects.
One of the new areas in which the private sector is investing with government support is aquaculture. The Saudi government agencies are also extending financial facilities to Saudi men to work in this sector. The Kingdom has four major fisheries — three on the Red Sea and one on the Arabian Gulf. The favorite seafood in the Kingdom is shrimp.
Kingdom heading toward self-sufficiency in fish production
Kingdom heading toward self-sufficiency in fish production
18,000 personnel mobilized in Makkah, Madinah as itikaf begins
- Worshipers who completed registration and obtained permits have started performing the ritual of itikaf at the Prophet’s Mosque
- General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has provided a range of services
JEDDAH: More than 18,000 personnel and nearly 6,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment have been deployed across Makkah and Madinah as authorities intensify preparations for the final 10 days of Ramadan, while worshipers began observing itikaf at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Worshipers who completed registration and obtained permits have started performing the ritual of itikaf at the Prophet’s Mosque, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has provided a range of services, including guidance, organization, healthcare, translation, hospitality and essential supplies to ensure a comfortable and spiritually enriching experience.
Field teams have also been deployed to manage entry and exit points, and oversee service delivery so worshippers can dedicate themselves fully to prayer and reflection.
Meanwhile, the Madinah Municipality has intensified efforts to provide services to visitors at the Prophet’s Mosque and other major mosques across the city.
More than 5,700 personnel, 1,230 operational vehicles and pieces of equipment have been mobilized to support municipal services during the busy period.
The operational plan focuses on improving facility cleaning and environmental sanitation, strengthening infrastructure services, and intensifying inspections of commercial and food establishments to ensure compliance with health standards and product safety.
Electronic platforms have also been activated to enhance monitoring and speed up responses to municipal service reports.
Authorities are also conducting field campaigns to combat commercial fraud and regulate street vendors as visitor numbers rise in the city.
Through these plans, the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has raised municipal readiness to provide services for Umrah performers and visitors, and enable them to perform their rituals in a safe and organized environment.
In Makkah, the municipality has deployed more than 13,000 personnel working round the clock to support cleaning and operational activities in the central area, and around the Grand Mosque.
Five parking areas with a capacity of more than 42,000 vehicles have also been prepared to ease access to the Grand Mosque and reduce congestion.
