(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat- Fisheries exports are expected to contribute RO1.3bn to Oman's gross domestic product in 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MoAF) has said.
Oman's annual fish production is 347,541 tonnes and the country exported more than 176,711 tonnes in 2017. MoAF is now developing an integrated country-wide value chain to boost exports from sea to international markets in less than 36 hours.
MoAF and the Oman Aviation Group (OAG) recently held a fish export event at the new cargo terminal of Muscat airport.
The event brought together more than 50 key stakeholders under the theme 'Broadening our Horizons' and focused on strengthening export strategies.
As a leader in this integrated value chain, OAG has been investing heavily in logistics. These include modernisation of facilities at Muscat, Salalah and Duqm airports, a new cargo terminal at Muscat airport with state-of-the-art cold chain handling capabilities, the development of airport free zones and logistics hubs to streamline cargo operations throughout Oman.
'OAG has created a robust value chain linking aviation, tourism and logistics sectors across Oman,' said Mustafa al Hinai, CEO, OAG.
'We are the catalyst for growth. With the rollout of National Cargo Strategy, we will ensure that Oman's fisheries sector grow in premium international markets. This will allow the Sultanate of Oman to further diversify its economy in the coming years.'
Oman's fisheries sector comprises 49,299 fishermen, 23,232 small fishing boats, 135 coastal fleet, 127 landing sites, 44 industrial fleet, 40 processing plants and 24 fishing ports.
OAG said that the main takeaway from the event was that Oman is well positioned geographically to benefit from the shift in intercontinental East-West airfreight from Europe to the Middle East. 'Moving forward, improving in-country capabilities along with greater alignment between aviation and fisheries will remain a priority for both the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Oman Aviation Group,' it said.
The event highlighted the need for focusing on increasing production volumes, investing in cold chain facilities and having freight partnerships for growth and development in the fisheries sector.
It was the second in OAG's 'Air Cargo in Focus' series that brings together stakeholders from leading industries to identify opportunities existing in Oman's aviation sector and other sectors for future collaborations. OAG will continue its series in 2019 with a focus on economic expansion.
MENAFN1312201801410000ID1097824060
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.