Soaring demand for seafood both in the Middle East and worldwide has prompted Saudi Arabia’s National Prawn Company (NPC) to announce it will expand its production substantially over the next two years.

NPC said it would raise its white prawn output to more than 45,000 tonnes annually by 2010 from 15,000 tonnes now.
Mohamed Gamal Zaki, marketing support manager, says NPC’s white prawns are exported to more than 30 countries.
The company is situated south of Jeddah and boasts of leading-edge technologies geared for sustainability and high-quality aquaculture farming standards. It maintains a completely self-sufficient farming operation - from power and water through to pond, plant and infrastructure construction.
NPC assures buyers its ISO-accredited products are antibiotic-free.
NPC participated at Sea Food Expo in late October in Dubai.
The participation was in line with the company’s aims to expand its regional market share and strengthen its leadership as the largest fully integrated ‘stand alone’ prawn farm in the world,” the event’s organisers Orange Fairs & Events.
“With around 1 billion people depending on seafood as their primary means of animal protein, we are witnessing soaring demand for safe, high-quality prawns and cultured seafood,” said Nafees Ahmed, project manager, Orange Fairs & Events.
 “A dedicated event, which will gather the world’s leading seafood industry players under one roof is essential today more than ever.”
NPC joined a list of over 185 high-profile companies from across 30 countries who exhibited at the event. Visitors were drawn from the food service, hospitality, retail, research, education, government, transportation, logistics, import/export, packaging and aquaculture services sectors. Exhibiting firms included Clearwater Seafood FZCO, Royal Culimer, Magentas, Gulf Seafood LLC, Atoz Foods, Deep Seafood LLC, East Fish Processing, Six Brothers, Moton Tokyo General Trading, Dison Tech, Royal Fisheries, Ocean Fisheries, and Technocrats.
During the three-day show, exhibitors highlighted seafood products, technology and services as well as furnishings, fittings, cold storage systems, packaging and equipment designed for the industry.