December 6, 2007

 

Dubai: Emerging gateway to Middle East seafood market

 

 

The Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF) recently cited Dubai as a strategic location to penetrate the Middle East seafood market.

 

Mohamed Shaupi Derahman, DOF Director of Planning, Development and International Division, said Dubai offers strong potential for Malaysia to tap the market in the region.

 

DOF recently made its debut at the Dubai International Seafood Expo (DISF) 2007, bringing together six companies under the Malaysian pavilion.

 

This marks Malaysia's first to attend such exhibition which focuses on the fisheries sector, Mohamad Shaupi said.

 

Mohamad Shaupi said that the Middle East was a target market for seafood.

 

He said that the expo provided an opportunity for Malaysia to promote its products like fishball and crabmeat apart from black tiger prawns and red tilapia.

 

Malaysia also seeks to promote halal products, being the halal hub of Asia.

 

The three-day exhibition in Dubai allowed companies to address various inquiries from traders and buyers from countries like Oman, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco and even India.

 

Mohamed Shaupi said that the exhibition also provided an opportunity to find out Arabs' preferences on seafood.

 

A market survey of hypermarkets was also carried out to compare prices and the types of packaging required.

 

The exhibition attracted 75 leading companies from 22 countries, which took part to tap rising seafood markets in the Middle East, due primarily to the region's growing population and the influx of tourists.