Samer Choucair: Global Shrimp Market Reaches $79 Billion as Aquaculture Attracts Capital
Investment leader Samer Choucair said that continued growth in global shrimp demand is strengthening the appeal of aquaculture as a sector directly linked to food security and changing patterns of protein consumption. Institutional investors are increasingly viewing seafood production chains as strategic assets rather than simply traditional agricultural businesses.
Choucair explained that market estimates vary depending on methodology, but one of the latest estimates values the global shrimp market at approximately $79.2 billion in 2025, with expectations that it will reach $121.4 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of 5.5%. The farmed-shrimp market alone is estimated at approximately $47.6 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 6.1% through 2033.
Choucair noted that the Food and Agriculture Organization expects global farmed shrimp production to reach approximately 6 million tonnes in 2025, while the industry is undergoing significant shifts in production and market centers, alongside price volatility, feed-cost pressures, disease risks, and biosecurity challenges.
Choucair said the investment opportunity extends beyond farms to include hatcheries, feed production, processing, cold-chain infrastructure, logistics, water-quality monitoring, traceability, and biosecurity technologies.
He added that technology will become a decisive factor in improving productivity and reducing losses, particularly as the industry faces growing pressure to produce seafood more efficiently and sustainably.
Saudi Arabia’s Aquaculture Opportunity
In Saudi Arabia, Choucair described aquaculture as an opportunity that combines economic diversification with food security.
He noted that the Kingdom has an important production and export base, with the National Aquaculture Group producing approximately 100,000 tonnes of seafood products and exporting shrimp, fish, and sea cucumbers to around 32 countries.
According to Choucair, this demonstrates the potential to build integrated value chains capable of reaching global markets.
He emphasized that the next phase will require more selective capital allocation, with priority given to projects capable of managing disease risks, feed and energy-price volatility, and water-use efficiency rather than simply maximizing production capacity.
Technology and Value-Added Seafood
Choucair added that investment opportunities also extend to value-added seafood products, digital technologies for farm management, genetic improvement, aquatic-health monitoring, food processing, and related technologies.
He argued that integrating production with processing, packaging, and exports can increase the economic value generated per tonne while reducing investors’ exposure to fluctuations in raw commodity prices.
Food Security and Long-Term Capital
Samer Choucair concluded that aquaculture has become part of a broader global strategy for managing food-security risks.
He said investors capable of combining technology, strong governance, and operational efficiency will be best positioned to benefit from rising demand for aquatic protein in the coming years.