Agreement signed to deliver on UAE's first shrimp RAS farm

Prime Aquaculture, a subsidiary of Emirates National Aquaculture, has signed an agreement with Jafza, an economic free zone located in the western part of Dubai, to build UAE's first shrimp RAS farm. The farm is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2023, to assist in cultivating shrimp and meeting growing demand by increasing output.

The UAE's dependence on imports to meet shrimp demands results in more than 51,000 MT of shrimp being imported per annum, while the local consumption ranges between 38,000 to 50,000 MT. Once the RAS facility has been built and is in operation, the farm will be producing over 1000 MT of shrimp per year, currently three times more than current shrimp production.

Current farming methods in the UAE incorporate an open pond system requiring a lot of space, which can be reduced in the shift towards RAS production, as it encourages sustainability through the recirculation of water and maintaining control of the water's physiochemical qualities. 

The RAS facility will consist of a shrimp farm, hatchery, and primary and secondary processing units. In order to promote sustainable food production, it aims to utilise modern technologies and solutions.  Prime Aquaculture will be incorporating the most up-to-date technology to ensure the shrimp being produced are of a high standard.

Abdulla Bin Damithan, the CEO and Managing Director of DP World UAE and Jafza explained the lucrative business of UAE's food trade, going on to say that aquaculture is "one key driver of this vital industry's growth. Taking these factors into consideration, through our partnership with Prime Aquaculture FZE, we look forward to boosting shrimp production and ensuring quality produce with advanced technologies such as RAS. The shrimp farms will maintain high-intensity culture systems ensuring absolute biosecurity."

Imtiyaz Andul Razak Kalsekar, Managing Director of Prime Aquaculture, concluded: "During the pandemic, when travel restrictions were imposed, the importance of local production was highlighted. We, at the Emirates National Aquaculture, plan to enhance the UAE's food security by doubling the current aquaculture production over the next three years. Establishing our shrimp farm in Jafza is a massive step towards achieving this objective."