Fish exports currently make up Oman’s second-largest natural resource and are forecast to contribute RO 1.3 billion to the country’s gross domestic product in 2023. This was revealed during the Omani Fish Exports event organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Oman Aviation Group (OAG) at the new cargo terminal in Muscat yesterday. The event brought together more than fifty key stakeholders from Oman’s fisheries ecosystem under the theme “Broadening our Horizons”, and focused on strengthening export strategies and capitalising on the growth and development of the Sultanate’s fish exports sector.
With a production volume of 347,541 tonnes and exports of more than 176,711 tonnes in 2017, Oman is now focused on increasing its penetration of key international markets by developing an integrated country-wide value chain to facilitate the shipping of product from sea to international markets in less than 36 hours.
Despite fluctuating oil prices, the services, agriculture and fishing sectors show consistent growth. Oman’s fisheries ecosystem comprises 49,299 fishermen, 23,232 small fishing boats, 135 coastal fleet, 127 landing sites, 44 industrial fleet, 40 HACCP approved processing plants, and 24 fishing ports, all of which play a crucial role in contributing to Oman’s gross domestic product.
As the leading enabler for this integrated value chain, Oman Aviation Group has been investing heavily in infrastructure in aviation and logistics. These include the modernisation of airports in Muscat, Salalah and Duqm, a new cargo terminal in Muscat with the latest cold-chain handling capabilities, and the development of airport free zones and logistics hubs to streamline cargo throughput in Oman.
“By enabling numerous companies in key sectors, OAG creates a robust value chain linking aviation, tourism and logistics across Oman,” explained OAG CEO Mustafa al Hinai.
“We are a catalyst for growth and with the rollout of our National Cargo Strategy, we will enable Oman’s fisheries sector to grow and prosper in premium international markets. Furthermore, the work OAG is currently conducting, united with our ambitious plans for the future, will allow the Sultanate of Oman to further diversify its economy.”
“The main takeaway from today’s event is that Oman is well positioned geographically to benefit from the shift in intercontinental East-West airfreight from Europe to the Middle East.
Moving forward, improvements to 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. The focus will be on increasing production volumes, investing in cold chain innovation, and building strong freight forwarder partnerships which foster growth and development of the fisheries industry,” Al Hinai added.
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