MUSCAT, FEB 22
The Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund has announced the start of this year's Omani ginger harvest season as part of a project to utilise modern technologies to develop specialised farms for producing cash vegetable crops in border regions with a comparative advantage.
Official indicators and economic reports recommend that the ginger market in Oman will witness rapid growth, reaching 19% by 2028, with a strategic focus on reducing reliance on imports and boosting local production using modern irrigation techniques. Initial projections for the first phase indicate a production of 20 to 30 tonnes from a pilot area of approximately three acres.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources is working to connect farmers with the private sector to ensure the purchase and commercial marketing of the crop. The project opens up opportunities for investment and manufacturing, as there are profitable investment opportunities in processing ginger to produce essential oils, nutritional supplements; and dried and ground ginger.
Ginger production is primarily concentrated in the mountainous regions of Dhofar Governorate, including the Wilayats of Rakhyout and Dhalkout. Planting begins in mid-June and the crop continues to grow for eight to nine months until it is fully ripe for harvest.
Ginger cultivation in Oman is a promising economic project aimed at achieving several strategic gains within the framework of Oman Vision 2040. Its impact on the local economy lies in promoting economic diversification and food security, as well as localising tropical crops, thus reducing reliance on imports.
The crop is considered to be of high economic value due to increasing local and global demand in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, thereby adding value to the gross domestic product. While, the project provides a sustainable source of income, offering a rewarding financial return to rural families in the Wilayats of Rakhyout and Dhalkout, contributing to their economic stability in their mountainous environments. Furthermore, the expansion of this cultivation aims to create job opportunities for young Omanis in the fields of agriculture, marketing and processing industries.
The use of modern irrigation systems and advanced agricultural technologies has increased production in which this harvest marks the culmination of the first phase, which began in June 2024 with the participation of 30 farmers. The project is supported by the Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund, following the tangible success of the turmeric cultivation experiment in the same region. Efforts are currently underway to connect farmers with private sector companies to ensure the purchase and marketing of the crop as a national product bearing Omani identity.
The most significant achievement of the project to date is the transition of ginger cultivation from the research trials phase to actual commercial production. The first harvest season witnessed the success of the first commercial quantities with quality indicators that rivaled imported products in terms of flavour and volatile oil content.
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