National Prawn Co (NPC), the world's largest fully integrated desert coastal aquaculture project, is set to debut at Sea Food Expo 2007.

The Middle East's first exhibition dedicated to the seafood industry will be held from October 29 to 31, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dubai.

The fully-integrated hatchery, farm and processing facility located south of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia was built at a cost of more than $350 million, and was established in a bid to tap into the booming global seafood market, following more than two decades of research into the economic viability of Red Sea shrimp farming, said a senior official.

The company presently exports in excess of 13,000 tonnes of shrimp every year to more than 30 countries. NPC has recently commenced the construction of the second phase of the project's pond, which will significantly increase its annual production to more than 45,000 tonnes of premium quality shrimp.

This is predicted to make NPC the single largest supplier of shrimp in the world. The multi-million dollar venture is also envisioned to be a global leader in environmentally friendly aquaculture shrimp production, boasting cutting-edge farming technologies and techniques, as well as stringent quality standards.

'The Middle East market presents a huge economic growth opportunity for seafood companies as consumption and consumer awareness grows. This will result in an increasing demand for high-value, quality seafood products, with the retail and hospitality sectors looking to contribute significantly to the growth trend,' said marketing support manager, NPC, Mohamed Gamal Zaki.

National Prawn Co. joins a list of 65 leading companies from across the globe that will be exhibiting at the first edition of the international event. Other local firms that have confirmed their participation include Technocrats, Gulf Sea Food, and Ocean Fisheries.

Sea Food Expo 2007 is aimed at providing a powerful platform for regional and international companies seeking to penetrate the region's burgeoning seafood market.

During the three-day show, exhibitors will highlight seafood products, technology and services as well as furnishings, fittings, cold storage systems, packaging and equipment designed for the industry.

'The first edition of Sea Food Expo 2007 will present a prime opportunity for companies dealing with seafood to enter or expand their penetration in the Middle East market,' said director, Orange Fairs & Events, organisers of the show, Raees Ahmed.

Orange Fairs is a leading Dubai-based organisation providing events related services especially in the Middle East market. The company promotes over 100 exhibitions annually in Africa, CIS, Middle East and Eastern Europe, covering industries ranging from general trade exhibitions, electrical and electronics, manufacturing, health, automobiles, gold & jewelry, metalworking, oil and gas, telecommunications, IT, printing and packaging, food & hotel, building & construction among others.Trade Arabia News Service