Oman’s fish sector hits 146% as food production rises

Muscat: Efforts to strengthen food and water security in Oman were reviewed as the Shura Council hosted the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources to present the ministry’s statement, highlighting key achievements and future priorities across the sectors.

During the session, the minister said agricultural and fisheries production rose to 5.6 million tonnes in 2025, up from 4.3 million tonnes in 2020, reflecting steady growth. The sector’s contribution to the national economy also expanded, reaching RO 1.132 billion compared to RO 776 million in 2020.

He pointed out that food self-sufficiency levels have improved across several commodities, with fish exceeding local demand at 146 per cent, while dates, milk and eggs recorded high coverage rates of 99 per cent, 96 per cent and 95 per cent respectively. Vegetables reached 79 per cent, while white and red meat stood at 62 per cent and 45 per cent. Fruits excluding dates recorded 24 per cent.

The minister noted that the agricultural base includes more than 9.1 million date palms and an estimated 4 million livestock, while the fisheries sector continues to support over 60,000 Omani fishermen, alongside an expanding network of markets, factories and ports.

On water resources, he highlighted ongoing investments in infrastructure, including groundwater recharge, storage and protection dams, supported by an extensive monitoring network and cloud seeding stations aimed at improving water availability and management efficiency.

He added that investment activity continues to gain momentum, with hundreds of usufruct agreements signed and strong growth recorded across fisheries, water, and agricultural sectors. Export performance also showed positive trends, particularly in food industries and fisheries, exceeding or nearing set targets.

The minister further underlined progress in boosting local content and expanding agro-industrial and fisheries projects, while noting improvements in water availability per capita and wastewater treatment rates.

He stressed that the ministry will continue to advance policies and programmes to address water scarcity challenges and enhance sustainability, in line with Oman’s long-term development objectives.