- Title: UAE-DESERT CAVIAR Caviar production underway in Abu Dhabi desert
- Date: 10th June 2015
- Summary: ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (JUNE 3, 2015) (REUTERS) VIEW OF EMIRATES AQUA TECHNOLOGIES CAVIAR FACTORY SIGN (Arabic and English) THAT READS: "EMIRATES AQUA TECHNOLOGIES CAVIAR FACTORY L.L.C" VARIOUS OF THE INDOOR POOLS WHERE THE STURGEON FISH ARE RAISED VARIOUS OF STURGEON FISH IN THE INDOOR POOLS VARIOUS OF FACTORY EMPLOYEES USING AN ULTRASOUND MACHINE (SOUNDBITE) (Ar
- Embargoed: 25th June 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Arab Emirates
- Country: United Arab Emirates
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA9UJZGD0Q4G9TPKP7C1UHU3M04
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The United Arab Emirates is breaking new ground, producing caviar in the desert in one of the world's largest indoor sturgeon fish farms.
Located in the industrial zone in the desert on the outskirts of the capital Abu Dhabi, Emirates Aqua Tech has a fertilization lab and a hatchery.
Mohaned Abu Awadis the production manager.
"Emirates Aqua Tech is the largest (indoor) sturgeon fish farm in the world. The project is built on 60,000 square meters, of which 40,000 square meters are covered (indoors). It has an annual production capacity of 500 tons of Sturgeon, in addition to 35 tons of caviar," Abu Awad said.
Caviar production is traditionally seasonal. But due to the set up here at Emirates Aqua Tech, the salty delicacy can be produced all year round.
"This project is distinctive because it can produce caviar monthly, as opposed to seasonally, because we control every aspect of the environment in which the fish is raised. We are therefore able to offer our products all year round, not just seasonally, as it is the case with the majority of the farms around the world and in Europe specifically," said Abu Awad.
The Abu Dhabi produced caviar is already being sold in local markets, and now the company have their sights set on exporting their product to Europe and the United States.
"So we start first to introduce the caviar, Yasa Caviar, here in local market, so especially in Dubai where there are a lot of luxurious hotels and restaurants. And then we start slowly slowly to develop the branding all around GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), include Qatar where the market is booming as well. And we already get the approval to export, we are very proud actually to get the FDA approval to export in US market," said Delphine Lannoy, Sales and marketing manager Emirates Aqua Tech.
Lannoy also explains that the entire fish is used here, with nothing going to waste. Once the fish are gutted and the caviar removed, the left over skin is dried and used to make accessories.
"As we are readying the Sturgeons, any part of the fish will be used. There is no waste. Absolutely no waste. For example, we will use the skin, as you can see, to produce some luxury items as: belts, boxes, or simply to add a touch of luxury to your yacht or in your car for example," said Lannoy.
The factory first opened in 2011 but it was only last year when it produced the first batch of locally made caviar from fish that was bred, raised, and harvested at Emirates Aqua Tech.
So far, some half a million eggs have been hatched on the farm and have made it to the kitchens and tables of luxury hotels in Japan and Australia.
The factory produces four different types of caviar, each priced according to the size of the eggs with the biggest eggs costing more.
The price of Yasa caviar starts at 191 U.S. dollars (700 UAE dirham) per 100 grams and can reach 325 U.S. dollars (1200 UAE dirham) for the more expensive variety.
The product is unpasteurized and preservative free. Once the eggs are removed from the fish and dried, they are salted, packaged and sold.
Caviar is a costly delicacy, with the world's most expensive caviar costing more than 34 thousand U.S dollars for 1kg, according to the Guinness World Records. That particular caviar is produced from the albino sturgeon, found in the Caspian Sea. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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