BAHLA: An Omani farmer has managed to produce a record over 200 tonnes of water melon at his farm in the village of Wadi Qurayat in the Wilayat of Bahla.
Hamad bin Ali al Hinai cultivated 10 hectares acres of indigenous water melon this season and his harvest was deemed the highest among his fellow farmers.
Speaking to Oman News Agency (ONA), Al Hianai said: “I started the project three year ago with the main goal to diversify income sources through investing in many farms in Wadi Qurayat. I have followed experts’ recommendations regarding the expansion and diversification of crop production to boost food security which has become a key goal for countries that target to achieve self-sufficiency in domestic crops,”
He added: “I began in 2016 by cultivating 3 acres mainly the purpose to gain experience and acquire essential know-how about various stages of cultivation. In the next season my project saw horizontal and vertical expansion by adding two more acres and applying the system of agricultural cycle. During the third season I cultivated 10 acres and also introduced the integrated management system for fighting agricultural pets through enhanced use of insecticides thereby managed to raise my crop to more than 200 tonnes of Omani water melon.
Al Hinai utilized the social media and managed to sell out his harvest to wholesale traders and retailers despite initial worries of marketing woes due to the coronavirus crisis.
Al Hinai is now planning to double the acreage in the next agricultural season and increase revenues from cultivating high-quality water melon to gain a completive edge in the local market. — ONA
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