Muscat – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has begun harvesting wheat from approximately 5,000 acres of farmland in Dhofar.

A statement issued by MAFWR said, ‘The expected production from this season’s wheat crop cultivated in farms in the Najd region of the wilayat of Thumrait is about 6,000 tonnes. Harvesting of this season’s wheat crop has started from 81 farms spread over an area 5,000 acres.’

The statement added that the area under wheat cultivation is increasing rapidly in the Najd region as a result of the ministry’s efforts to encourage farmers to adopt new methods of cultivation to achieve food security and meet the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.

Additionally, MAFWR has urged wheat farmers to sell their wheat crop to Oman Flour Mills Company (OFMC). It recently renewed a memorandum of cooperation with OFMC to purchase wheat crop from farmers at RO500 per tonne.

The ministry has set conditions for farmers to benefit from its cooperation with OFMC. Among others, the wheat crop should be of Omani variety, it 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 Muttrah, Muscat.