Muscat – The recently held Grape Festival in North Sharqiyah governorate generated RO58,000 in revenue – making it one of the most successful events of the year.

The two-day festival, which was held in June, provided marketing and promotional opportunities that supported grape growers and related businesses in the region.

Intense activities on June 19 and 20 – benefiting local farmers, small and medium enterprises, jobseekers, and productive families – resulted in the generation of this revenue, organisers said.

Sheikh Ali bin Ahmed al Shamsi, Governor of North Sharqiyah, emphasised the festival’s purpose of promoting investment in grape cultivation and marketing.

“It encouraged the launch of packaging and marketing companies, thus enhancing the crop’s value. The festival also sought to inspire the private sector to support grape cultivation and foster contract farming through agricultural associations, thereby creating job opportunities,” he said.

Shamsi told ONA that the festival’s success reaffirmed the benefits grape cultivation provides to the region.

“This outcome is partly due to the signing of three memoranda of understanding between several government institutions, including the Governor’s Office and both the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MHUP).”

These agreements included the allocation of over 40 hectares of land to local farmers and supporting projects and investment opportunities in the agricultural sector.

Furthermore, RO36,000 in total was earmarked for establishing model farms for grape cultivation and production.

Badr bin Ahmed al Habsi, Director of the Events and Awareness Department in the Governor’s Office, confirmed that the festival, held in Al Rawda village, significantly benefited local farmers, businesses, jobseekers, and productive families.

Speaking on the generated revenue, Habsi informed that it came from the sale of 4,000 grape seedlings and about 10,000kg of grapes of 35 different varieties. Small and medium enterprises secured revenue from the marketing campaign of the festival.

The festival also indirectly benefited more than ten jobseekers and over 40 entrepreneurs participating in the exhibition.

The festival received widespread coverage from local and international media, showcasing its success.

A total of 2,514 photographs were captured by 54 professional photographers, and 107 promotional and documentary video clips were prepared.

Twenty-four media personnel from government and private institutions also covered the event.

The festival’s social media platforms saw significant interaction among institutions and individuals throughout the event, adding to the success of the festival, organisers added.