Third edition of grape festival activities begins in Al Sharqiyah North

AL MUDHAIBI: The activities of the 3rd edition of the 'Grape Festival 2026' began on Wednesday in the Niyabat of Samad Al Shan in the Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi, Al Sharqiyah North Governorate.
The festival is organised by the governorate in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and a number of public and private sector establishments.
The opening of the festival was held under the auspices of Mahmoud bin Yahya al Thuhli, Governor of Al Sharqiyah North, in the presence of a number of officials, farmers and specialists.
Dr Saud bin Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, affirmed that Al Sharqiyah North Governorate represents a leading national model in this field through qualitative initiatives, most notably the model grape farms complex project in the Wilayat of Ibra. The project targets the cultivation of 200 feddans and the production of about 2,000 tonnes annually, with an expected economic return exceeding RO 3 million. He pointed to the project's role in qualifying small and medium enterprises and introducing new international varieties.
For his part, Saud bin Saif al Maawali, Wali of Al Mudhaibi, explained that the festival sheds light on the successful experiences of farmers, particularly in the village of Al Rawdah in the Niyabat of Samad Al Shan, and enhances investment opportunities in this promising sector to support the local economy and achieve sustainable development and integration among various sectors.
Al Maawali added that the grape cultivation sector in the governorate has witnessed a qualitative leap, as the cultivated areas increased from 27 feddans to 162 feddans, representing a growth rate of 492 per cent, allowing the governorate to occupy the first place at the level of the Sultanate of Oman as the 'Grape Capital'. He indicated that more than 25 tonnes of grapes were marketed, and approximately 6,500 seedlings were sold, alongside the display of more than 54 different varieties of grapes. The festival includes platforms for displaying grape varieties and seedlings, and exchanging expertise between farmers and specialists, contributing to the development of the agricultural sector in the governorate.
He pointed out that the year 2025 witnessed the planting of more than 14,000 grape seedlings, while the target for the year 2026 is to plant more than 50,000 new seedlings, reflecting the growing confidence among farmers and investors in this promising sector. He added that the model grape farms project in the Wilayat of Ibra comes with an expected economic return exceeding RO 3 million, alongside offering new investment opportunities reaching more than 100 feddans in various wilayats of the governorate. This opens wider horizons for investors and entrepreneurs towards building an integrated economic system for grapes that includes production, marketing, agro-processing, agritourism and investment in value-added chains, thereby enhancing the contribution of this sector to the local economy and raising food security levels.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between Al Sharqiyah North Governorate and the Omani-Bahraini Friendship Association, under which training programs in the field of processing industries targeting grape crop farmers in the governorate's wilayats will be implemented. It was signed on behalf of the governorate by Mahmoud bin Yahya al Thuhli, Governor of Al Sharqiyah North, and on behalf of the association by Rudaina bint Amer al Hajri, Chairperson of the Board of Directors.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the chief guest of the event honoured the supporting entities and contributors and opened the accompanying exhibition, which featured the participation of more than 40 participants from grape crop farmers in a number of governorates in the Sultanate of Oman. Over two days, they are displaying a number of grape varieties, most notably White Omani, Lebanese Red, Al Ta'ee, Italian Muscat, Cardinal, Al Shahli, and other varieties suitable for cultivation in grape farms in the Sultanate of Oman, in addition to displaying downstream products of the grape crop. - ONA