There is a huge demand for fresh shrimp in the UAE market but much of it is met through exports.
The estimated daily demand for shrimp across the UAE is about 11 metric tons.
“The UAE has not explored its potential for shrimp farming despite the availability of enough land close to the sea,” says Dr. S.D. Gopakaumar of Al Jaraf Fisheries LLC, that has pioneered shrimp farming in the UAE.
The company’s farm started commercially producing fresh shrimp in 2007 to meet the huge domestic demand.
Though there are several small shrimp farms in the UAE, they cater to the private demand of their owners only, says Gopakumar.
