The term "seafood" describes a broad range of edible marine life that is collected for human consumption from rivers, lakes, and oceans, such as fish, shellfish, and other aquatic animals. Popular fish species like salmon, tuna, and cod fall under this group, along with shellfish like shrimp, crab, and lobster, as well as mollusks like clams and oysters. Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and high-quality protein are all abundant in seafood, which is prized for its nutritional worth. It can be eaten fresh, frozen, tinned, or dried, and is a staple of many international cuisines, especially those found along the shore.
Middle East and Africa Seafood Market Driving Factors and Challenges
Drivers: The market for seafood in the Middle East is expanding significantly, which is indicative of changing dietary habits and rising consumer desire for a variety of wholesome food options. The area, which is well-known for its extensive culinary tradition, has made seafood a major part of its cuisine. Customers can choose from a large range of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans in the market, including anchovies, bass, pomfrets, crab, lobster, shrimp, and calamari. Aside from this, people are becoming more cognizant of the nutritional value of seafood and its function in supplying vital nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids as well as health-conscious eating.
Challenges: The seafood market in the Middle East and Africa faces several significant challenges that hinder its growth and sustainability. One of the primary issues is supply chain disruptions, which are often caused by infrastructure limitations, including outdated ports, inadequate storage facilities, and logistical bottlenecks. These issues can result in delays, spoilage, and increased costs, particularly for fresh and perishable seafood products.
Another key challenge is overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices, which threaten the long-term viability of seafood stocks in the region's oceans. In some areas, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is prevalent, exacerbating the depletion of marine resources and disrupting local fishing economies. This has led to growing concerns about the sustainability of fish stocks and the environmental impact of the industry.
Impact of COVID-19 on Middle East and Africa Seafood Market
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to the seafood sectors in the Middle East and Africa, resulting in issues with supply chains, consumer demand, and output. The closure of restaurants, hotels, and foodservice businesses during lockdowns caused a sharp decline in the market for more costly seafood products, and supply chain interruptions made it more challenging to obtain fresh seafood. Port closures, labor shortages, and export restrictions exacerbated these challenges, particularly for countries that rely on the selling of seafood. With customers turning to home cooking and a rise in demand for packed and frozen seafood, the industry did, however, start to recover as the pandemic ended and economies began to recover.
Middle East and Africa Seafood Market Key Players:
The market study provides market data by competitive landscape, revenue analysis, market segments and detailed analysis of key market players are; Albatha Group, Almunajem Foods, Blue Island PLC, Enhance Group Holding Company Limited, National Fishing Company K.S.C., Oman Fisheries Co. SAOG, Sea Pride LLC.
Middle East and Africa Seafood Market Segmentation:
By Type: Based on the Type, Middle East and Africa Seafood Market is segmented as; Fish, Shrimp, Others.
By Form: Based on the Form, Middle East and Africa Seafood Market is segmented as; Canned, Fresh/ Chilled, Frozen, Processed.
By Distribution Channel: Based on the Distribution Channel, Middle East and Africa Seafood Market is segmented as; Off-Trade, On-Trade.
By Region: This research also includes data for Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of Middle-East and Africa.
This study also encompasses various drivers and restraining factors of this market for the forecast period. Various growth opportunities are also discussed in the report.