Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Omani farmers need an urgent lifeline

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SALEH AL SHAIBANY - saleh_shaibani@yahoo.com - Local farmers are struggling to keep their farms defeating the government’s efforts to promote locally produced crops. Farmers now make up only 12 per cent of the Omani population compared to 60 per cent in the early 1970s. Despite the efforts of financiers like state-run Oman Development Bank (ODB), the numbers of farmers in the country is rapidly coming down. The children of the farmers have no interest to take up farm work.


They prefer to go to major towns and seek employment. Signs of decay in the cultivated areas of dates, limes, mangoes, water melons, carrots and cucumbers are everywhere around the country. The farms now are sold off to property developers to make way for the industrial boom.


Towns in the Suhar areas are one good example of that. With the take-off of the petrochemical and steel industries in the last decade, rich farming lands have been razed to the ground making way for the accommodation of workers.


With them went the government’s plans to reduce dependency of imported food. One former farmer typified the problem by saying the cheque of RO 3.5 million tipped the balance of his decision. The sentiment involving selling the farm that provided the livelihood of four generations of his ancestors was no contest to the fat payoff.


But not all farms have an attractive price tag, the majority are not. But they sell them off because the government’s subsidy is not enough to make farmers continue their efforts. To them, subsidy is still a lifeline. Most of the subsidies go to water irrigation and pesticides leaving them with no money for seeds, transportation or cold storage for their produce.


Technology also let them down. While the rest of the world uses scientific tools to grow and harvest their foods, Omani farmers have no ideas such advancement are available to improve their crops.


Some technocrats in the government’s corridors of power say that spending money on farmers who are not educated enough on scientific methods is a waste of funds. There are also divided opinions among environmentalists on the use of water irrigation.


Oman being a desert, farmers need to use a lot of water to keep their crops growing. They want to see desalination plants supplying farmers but the financial planners say that such overheads are unthinkable. With some quarters of the government want to ease food security problems, they now know a sustainable solution for the farmers is crucial.


On the other hand, livestock farming is also on dire condition. Locally produced milk, beef and mutton are not yet well positioned to hit the market by the storm.


Lack of financing, according to livestock farmers, is one of the reasons why local meat is not making its mark. The other reason is the attitude of consumers. Omanis are not patriotic enough to support foods produced by their compatriots. The market is flooded with imported meat, milk, fruits and vegetables. Distributors are happy to continue with famous brands and retailers will not change their mind when it comes to sidestep locally produced products. The last nail in the coffin of local farmers is hammered in by consumers who preferred to buy foreign foods in the pretext that Omani produce is of inferior quality.


A change of strategy is needed to protect farmers. Subsidy is still a salvation to the farming industry but it is not enough to sway the buying decisions of the consumers. The government must introduce a protection mechanism to make sure the farming industry will not fall apart.


Import duties of 5 per cent from certain agricultural produce, like fruits and vegetables, would help improve the marketability of local farmers. Such decision would stop the erosion of the farming lands and increase the efficiency of farmers. It will give a boost to the economy and make farming more attractive to the future generations. Not to mention, the boosting of food security.


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