MUSCAT – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) will distribute free seedlings as part of its efforts to encourage Omani farmers to establish commercial model farms and grow various types of fruits.

According to an official of MAFWR, the ministry has announced implementation of a project to create model fruit farms.

“The ministry has set some conditions for farmers to benefit from the project financed by the Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund,” the official said.

“The farmer must be an Omani national and the area of land that will be cultivated should not be less than one acre,” he said.

“The farmer must provide a permanent source of irrigation, and the soil of the farm should be suitable for cultivation. He must also use the seedlings provided by the ministry.”

Farmers will be given seedlings of mango and Omani lemon for free, while seedlings of other fruits will be given at nominal price.

“Bananas and sidr seedlings will cost 250bz each, while quince, guava, fig, grape, date palm and papaya seedlings will be given for 500bz each.”

The deadline to submit applications to receive seedlings is July 31. Distribution of seedlings will begin in October.

According to ministry data, the total production of fruit seedlings in agricultural nurseries from 2011 to 2019 was more than 1.4mn of 24 varieties of fruits.