Muscat – The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MHUP) is offering 2.7mn sqm of agricultural land in two governorates through public auctions in an initiative allowing private sector involvement in economic growth.

Of the total, 2.5mn sqm will be available in the wilayats of Bidiyah and Mudhaibi in North Sharqiyah, while Dhahirah will see the release of 168,000sqm land.

In Dhahirah, the focus is on boosting wheat production, while in North Sharqiyah, the emphasis is on enhancing date production, palm cultivation and livestock breeding, including goats, cows and camels.

Mudhaibi offers four distinct opportunities for investment in the agricultural sector. These include two ventures focused on fattening calves and producing seasonal fodder in the village of Al Zahira on 420,000sqm of land. Here, an integrated farm will be developed to produce red meat and seasonal fodder such as corn, barley and sorghum. The project will implement modern breeding and irrigation techniques and integrated production, aiming to monetise byproducts like organic fertiliser and leather.

Another investment opportunity in Mudhaibi is dedicated to breeding camels in the village of Al Sabsoub on 420,000sqm. This project for red meat production will integrate modern breeding techniques while ensuring the commercial viability of byproducts.

Bidiyah will present 11 investment prospects. Of these, nine are for palm cultivation and sorghum production. Distinct plots of land for these projects in the village of Tawi Hamad range from 39,000sqm to 423,000sqm. Additionally, an ambitious project spread over 420,000sqm in the village of Al Dhafra is set to promote vegetable cultivation in both greenhouses and open fields. Another project in the village of Al Rumail is dedicated to seasonal fodder cultivation, covering an area of 168,000sqm.

With these investments offered for usufruct contracts via the Tatwir platform, MHUP’s goal is to boost the agricultural sector’s role in local production using advanced farming technologies. It also aims to ensure sustainable agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

Highlighting the ministry’s vision, an official stated, “MHUP offers prime land for agricultural investment. We urge private entities to launch projects that not only enhance food production but also provide profitable returns. These initiatives will serve local and regional markets while generating employment for our citizens.”

To be eligible for bidding, individuals must be Omani citizens aged 23 or older. For companies to participate, they should have a minimum 30% stake held by an Omani or GCC national.

The total area under cultivation in the sultanate increased 7.7% to 276,715 acres by the end of 2021 compared to 256,959 acres at the end of 2020, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information.