Shem Oirere is a Kenyan journalist who previously worked for daily newspapers as a general news correspondent, business reporter and sub-editor before turning to full-time freelancing. For the more than 20 years, he has covered various sectors of Africa’s economy including agriculture, food processing, and maritime industries. A graduate of the University of South Africa, he has traveled within and outside Africa covering various industry events that have a bearing on the continent’s economy on behalf of different international consumer and trade publications. He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
Author Archive
Saudi Arabia’s efforts to increase its aquaculture production volume to 600,000 metric tons (MT) by 2030 received a major boost after two state-controlled institutions signed an agreement with American global food corporation Cargill to expand fish farming in the country.
Cargill, the Arabian agricultural services company (ARASCO), a national food and closed joint stock firm, and the NEOM Company signed a memorandum of understanding
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China’s zero-Covid lockdowns in the latter half of 2022, which weren't lifted until early December, reduced export volumes for South Africa-based Irvin & Johnson (I&J), negatively impacting its overall revenues and profits.
The lockdowns, which were extended to Hong Kong – combined with low catch rates in South Africa – pushed down I&J’s revenues 2.3 percent for the six months ending 31 December
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Cape Town, South Africa-based Sea Harvest Group posted higher sales and revenue for the year ending 31 December, 2022, but its gross and operating profit figures dropped due to higher costs.
The group’s total revenue rose 27 percent to ZAR 5.9 billion (USD 321 million, EUR 301 million) from ZAR 4.6 billion (USD 250 million, EUR 235 million) in 2021. Despite the higher revenue, the company saw a 25 percent decline in its earnings before
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Cape Town, South Africa-based seafood company Premier Fishing SA (PFSA), an affiliate of Premier Fishing and Brands – the largest black-owned and managed food and fishing company in South Africa – consolidated its share of the squid market by acquiring Talhado Fishing Enterprises, the largest producer of the species in the country.
PFSA will take up an additional 607 ordinary shares in the issued share capital of Talhado for ZAR 95
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Cameroon is now looking to ship its seafood elsewhere after the European Commission issued a “red card,” effectively banning Cameroonian seafood exports.
On 5 January, 2023, the E.C. identified Cameroon as a noncooperating country in the fight against illegal fishing for continuing to “register fishing vessels under its flag without demonstrating its ability to effectively control and monitor their fishing activities,
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The government of Mauritius has launched new investment opportunities for private investors interested in developing the country’s semi-industrial demersal species fishing and processing sector.
The Mauritius Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, and Shipping has launched an expression of interest seeking private companies with the capacity to “sustainably exploit the shallow-water demersal resources, mainly
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The stark population decline of the U.S. crab resource could be an opportunity to develop the species in the untapped African market.
U.S. President Joe Biden recently hosted the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit, which some in the seafood industry saw as a conducive forum for U.S.-based seafood companies to present a case in favor of investing in Africa’s crab industry to plug the gap created by falling outputs in the U.S.
SeafoodSource
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The Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) has picked the first six preferred aquaculture investors in the island nation’s mariculture sector as the government opens its fish-farming space to private investments.
A total of 15 investors applied for permits to launch aquaculture business projects, according to SFA.
SFA’s aquaculture department has awarded the fish-farming permits to ...
Photo courtesy of the Seychelles Fishing
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Cape Town, South Africa-based Sea Harvest Corporation, a subsidiary of seafood company Sea Harvest Group, has announced the three-year extension of its supply agreement with two related parties – Vuna Fishing Company and SeaVuna Fishing Company – for the exclusive right to purchase hake and related fish products.
SeaVuna Fishing Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vuna Fishing Company, which is a joint venture of Brimstone
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Oman Fisheries Company has appointed Nabeel Salim Rwidi to serve as the company’s new chief executive officer.
Rwidi replaces Sulaiman Al-Ghannami, who resigned on 10 October, 2022, “for personal reasons," one year after his appointment on 1 October, 2021.
Rwidi previously served as the CEO of Blue Waters LLC, a subsidiary of Fisheries Development Oman, which is part of the government-run Oman Investment
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