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Saudi Arabia Registers Increase in Fish Production Self-Sufficiency

Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Registers Increase in Fish Production Self-Sufficiency

Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture revealed progress in self-sufficiency in fish production, as it aims to increase the per capita fish consumption from 9 to 13 kilograms annually.

The ministry said on Monday that fish production in Saudi Arabia increased from 32,000 tons in 2016 to 119,000 tons until the end of 2022, confirming that it reached 59 percent of fish wealth self-sufficiency.

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, represented by the National Fisheries Development Program, marked World Fisheries Day, which falls on Nov. 21, with an event that was held at the ministry’s headquarters.

The ministry stated that the fisheries sector witnessed great development during the last period, leading to several achievements, including the development of 20 fishing facilities.

“We aim to reach 82 facilities during the next phase,” the ministry announced, noting that the number of fish farming projects increased from 67 to 235 projects in marine and inland waters and closed systems within the Kingdom.

The ministry also said that it was seeking to encourage capacity development, support small fishermen, empower the private sector and increase its contribution to the GDP, in accordance with the objectives of Vision 2030.

The ministry emphasized its efforts to develop infrastructure and investment opportunities in the sector, provide job opportunities for citizens, and raise the quality of production to compete in global markets, in addition to localizing the fishing profession and enabling more than 2,000 fishermen to practice the activity in the Kingdom.

It added that Saudi fish commodities were exported to more than 35 countries around the world.

For his part, CEO of the National Fisheries Development Program Dr. Ali Al Shaikhi said that the celebration of World Fisheries Day comes to emphasize the importance of marine and healthy ecosystems and the importance of securing sustainable fish stocks around the world.

He added that Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field of fisheries contributed to the promotion and development of the sector at the local, regional and international levels.

Al Shaikhi revealed that the Kingdom has been elected to chair the 36th Session of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s fisheries committee to be held in Rome in 2024.

He noted that the committee voted unanimously for the Kingdom in recognition of its leading role in supporting international efforts to promote sustainable fishing and aquaculture.

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Trump Vows New Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China

FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump attends a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, US, November 19, 2024. Brandon Bell/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump attends a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, US, November 19, 2024. Brandon Bell/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
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Trump Vows New Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China

FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump attends a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, US, November 19, 2024. Brandon Bell/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump attends a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, US, November 19, 2024. Brandon Bell/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

US President-elect Donald Trump vowed on Monday to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs.

He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders.

In a series of posts to his Truth Social account, Trump vowed to hit some of the United States' largest trading partners with duties on all goods entering the country.

“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on ALL products coming into the United States,” he wrote, according to AFP.

He said the new tariffs would remain in place “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”

The President ignored the US, Mexico and Canada three-decade-old free trade agreement, now called the USMCA.

In another post, Trump said he would also be slapping China with a 10% tariff, “above any additional Tariffs,” in response to what he said was its failure to tackle fentanyl smuggling.

“No one will win a trade war,” Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China's embassy in the United States, told AFP by email, defending Beijing's efforts to curb fentanyl smuggling.

“China believes that China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature,” Liu added.

Canada said it was “essential” to US energy supplies, and insisted the relationship benefits American workers.

“We will of course continue to discuss these issues with the incoming administration,” said the statement from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Tariffs are a key part of Trump's economic agenda, with the Republican vowing wide-ranging duties on allies and adversaries alike while he was on the campaign trail.

Many economists have warned that tariffs would hurt growth and push up inflation, since they are primarily paid by importers bringing the goods into the US, who often pass those costs on to consumers.

But those in Trump's inner circle have insisted that the tariffs are a useful bargaining chip for the US to push its trading partners to agree to more favorable terms, and to bring back manufacturing jobs from overseas.