Muscat – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has begun harvesting approximately 50 tonnes of wheat in North Batinah.

An official at MAFWR said on Tuesday, “The farmers started harvesting wheat in North Batinah after their success in planting around 50 acres of wheat in one season – 2021-22. We expect to harvest 45 to 50 tonnes of wheat this season.

“The ministry is making great efforts to support farmers and diversify agricultural crops by providing the correct guidance for planting crops and providing improved seeds and fertilisers. The ministry also encourages farmers to grow a variety of agricultural crops, including wheat.”

He added that cultivation of wheat crop is growing at a fast pace in several areas in the sultanate as a result of the efforts made by the ministry to encourage farmers to increase strategic cultivation in order to achieve the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 for food security.

Ministry statistics show that the total area of farmland under wheat cultivation in Oman is 2,449 acres, and the number of farmers increased by 5.5 per cent in the 2020-21 season.

A statement issued by MAFWR recently said the ministry has renewed a memorandum of cooperation with Oman Flour Mills Company to purchase wheat crop from farmers in the sultanate at RO500 per tonne.

‘The ministry has set some conditions for farmers, such as the wheat crop should be of Omani variety and must be this year’s production, the crop should be pure and not mixed with any other strain and the farmer must supply the harvest himself to the company’s warehouses in the wilayat of Muttrah in Muscat governorate,’ the statement said.