Muscat – Oman has maintained stable food supplies and market conditions despite regional and global challenges, H E Saud bin Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, told Majlis A’Shura on Sunday.

Addressing a session on the ministry’s plans and achievements in food and water security, the minister said most food commodities did not record price increases during the current crisis. He noted that during earlier crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the government absorbed additional costs and fixed prices of key items such as wheat and rice to protect consumers.

Oman’s annual wheat requirement ranges between 350,000 and 370,000 tonnes, while imports exceed 900,000 tonnes. Current wheat storage capacity stands at 160,000 tonnes at each of Oman Flour Mills’ facilities in Muttrah, Suhar and Salalah. Plans are under way to raise storage at Oman Flour Mills and Salalah Flour Mills, raising total national capacity to about 650,000 tonnes within two years.

Following the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Oman Investment Authority entered strategic partnerships to secure wheat supplies. The ministry has also urged the authority to pursue overseas partnerships in wheat-related companies.

To support domestic production, the government allocated RO5mn for wheat cultivation and procurement, with RO1mn disbursed annually through Oman Flour Mills to subsidise purchases from farmers. Local wheat output has reached nearly 11,000 tonnes, led by the Najd region.

The sultanate’s overall food self-sufficiency rate stands at 67.3%. Fish recorded 146%, dates 99%, milk 96%, table eggs 95% and vegetables 79%. White meat reached 62%, red meat 45% and fruits (excluding dates) 24%.

Agriculture and fisheries production rose from 4.3mn tonnes in 2020 to 5.6mn tonnes in 2025, with an average annual growth of 6.9%. The sectors’ contribution to GDP is projected to reach RO1.132bn, up from RO776mn in 2020.

Oman has more than 9.1mn date palms and about 4mn livestock. The fisheries sector employs over 60,000 Omani fishermen and comprises 62 markets, 119 factories and 24 fishing ports.

On water resources, H E Al Habsi said 85 groundwater recharge dams have been completed, with capacity exceeding 110.3mn m³. In addition, 116 surface storage dams and seven protection dams have a combined capacity of more than 248mn m³. The national water monitoring network includes 3,483 stations, of which 672 are remotely operated, alongside 14 cloud seeding stations.

Over the past five years, the ministry signed 493 usufruct contracts valued at RO1.87bn. Fisheries investments rose 39%, water sector investments 20.7% and agriculture and livestock 19%.

In 2025, food industry exports reached RO753mn, achieving 106% of the target. Fisheries exports totalled RO209mn, reaching 127%, while agriculture and livestock exports stood at RO285mn, or 96% of the target.