Trial finds Masirah fit for wheat farming

]Muscat, Feb 24

In an unprecedented step aimed at enhancing food security, a pilot project to cultivate wheat in the Wilayat of Masirah was successful, opening new horizons for expanding the cultivation of this crop on the island in the future.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in Al Sharqiyah South Governorate distributed wheat seeds to a group of farmers in Masirah, who planted it in one and a half acres. Despite the environmental conditions that may pose a challenge to agriculture on the island, the initial results showed remarkable success, which confirms the suitability of the soil and climate for this type of crop.

“This experiment represents an important step towards achieving self-sufficiency in wheat in the state, and is part of our national plan to support sustainable agriculture. The success of wheat cultivation in Masirah gives us a strong push to expand the cultivated areas during the coming seasons,” the ministry said.

In order to review the results of the experiment and study ways to develop it, a delegation of specialists visited several farms in the island. During the visit, the team met with farmers and listened to their comments on the experiment. Technical recommendations were also provided to improve farming and irrigation methods to increase productivity.

One of the participants said despite some concerns the results exceeded our expectations. "The wheat grew well, and we are excited to continue cultivation on a larger scale."

The success of this experiment is just the beginning of a new phase in the agricultural sector in the island as the ministry is planning to expand wheat cultivation by providing improved seeds and technical advice.

Improving the irrigation infrastructure and finding innovative solutions to overcome soil and climate challenges will also be key factors in achieving the desired goals.

In this context, farmers called on the competent authorities to provide additional support in terms of providing agricultural equipment and improving marketing systems to enable them to sell their crops at profitable prices, which encourages them to expand wheat cultivation further.

The success of this experiment confirms that the Wilayat of Masirah has a promising potential to develop the agricultural sector, especially in the field of strategic crops such as wheat. With the continuation of government efforts to support farmers and provide a suitable environment for agriculture, the island is expected to witness a major shift in agricultural production in the coming years, which will contribute to enhancing food security and achieving sustainable development in the agricultural sector.