Bahrain aims to increase the industrial sector's gross national product (GNP) contribution to 25 per cent over the next few years from a current 17 per cent and only 7 per cent a few years ago, said a senior government official.

The ministry has presented to the government viability research, including basic requirement of land needed for industrial projects, added Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro.

"In another study, we have emphasised the importance of selecting a suitable place to set up industrial projects and clarified that spaces needed for such projects in Bahrain have to be large. Therefore, land reclamation was the only option,” said Dr Fakhro.

"Most land is occupied, and remaining unoccupied areas do not exceed 23 per cent," he said.

"Unless we find alternatives, we will run out of space. It is a two-sided story - positive and negative," he added, stressing that industrial prosperity is based on continuous applications for projects, therefore the country needs to increase these to achieve a rise in the industrial sector's contribution to GNP. – TradeArabia News Service