NEOM food company Topian has signed a SAR1.9bn ($507mn) investment agreement with Jazan City for Primary and Manufacturing Industries to establish a major aquaculture project, during the Saudi International Marine Exhibition in Riyadh on February 4, Nemnna reported.

Neom is envisioned as a vast, eco-friendly urban development initiative, integral to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's (MbS) Vision 2030 to shift the Saudi economy away from oil dependency.

The project will have an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes and create 120 job opportunities, supporting local and regional food security by addressing growing demand for food products.

CEO of Topian Juan Carlos Motamayor said that “in 2025, we’ll produce 25,000 kilos of premium amberjack (Seriola dumerili) – with lower mortality, reduced feed waste and minimal environmental impact,” following the announcement of the deal.

Jazan City for Primary and Manufacturing Industries aims to strengthen Saudi Arabia's position as a leading regional investment centre for sustainable food manufacturing through advanced technology adoption and high environmental standards.

Topian, which has already made significant progress in developing high and mid-tech greenhouses and vertical farms over the past two years, recently received two British Standard Institutions certifications for its Sustainable Food Supply and ESG business unit.

The company focuses on developing technologies for sustainable food systems to address challenges including population growth, changing consumption patterns, climate change and resource depletion.

Earlier on January 29, bnm IntelliNews reported Saudi Arabia's futuristic city project The Line is set to begin vertical construction by the end of 2025, marking a crucial phase in the development of the NEOM mega-project, Nemnna previously reported.

The Line, powered by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), envisioned a unique linear city stretching approximately 170 kilometres across the Tabuk province desert, featuring two parallel, 500m-high skyscrapers.

Current projections have adjusted the completion expectation to just 2.4 km of The Line by 2030 due to financial hurdles and general difficulties in building the project.