Wheat yield increases in Oman

Muscat: At a time when the supply of wheat in several parts of the world, including the Sultanate of Oman, has been disrupted due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the current wheat harvest season in the country shows a positive trend as high quality increased wheat harvest is noticeable in several wilayats.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources has been encouraging farmers to go for cultivation of wheat and preserve it as much as possible. This is also an attempt by the government to diversify resources. The agriculture traits are intact in several wilayats of the Sultanate of Oman despite the oil boom that the country witnessed after 1970.

The initiatives included allocating additional areas for some basic crops, such as wheat, in the Najd area in the Dhofar Governorate. Wheat yield in Al Najd farms reaches about 1,500 tonnes, an increase of more than 1,000 tonnes over the last season. Wheat harvest has started in 35 farms covering an area of 1,547 'feddans'. Rashid bin Saeed al Ghafri, Director-General of the Directorate of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in the Governorate of Dhofar, said: "The ministry is offering 50 per cent subsidy on improved wheat seed to farmers, in addition to wheat harvesting equipment and coordinating with the flour mills to market wheat produced by the farmers."

The wheat crop production during the agricultural season 2020/2021 amounted to 2,649 tonnes, an increase of 19 per cent, while the total lands planted with wheat last season amounted to 2,449 acres, recording an increase of 19.6 per cent.

Cultivation of wheat is one of the Omani farmers' ancient practices. These days the farmers are using a modern irrigation system, as wheat crops have shown adaptability in harsh desert conditions in some wilayats. The ministry works in cooperation with many international, regional and local organisations and research centres through the implementation of research and extension programmes to develop local wheat varieties and introduce imported varieties under the prevailing conditions in the country.