Oman: Government aims to promote greenhouse technologies

Due to its climate and scarce water supplies, Oman has considerable potential for greenhouse farming

In a bid to support agricultural practices which use less water, the government of Oman is planning either to refurbish and modernise existing greenhouse operations or to relocate greenhouses and high water use field crops to other regions of the country. One potential area is the large region in western Oman between Thumrait and Muqsin, north of the Salalah crescent. According to the Oman Daily Observer, this area is relatively undeveloped, it has a good road and communications infrastructure, and there are potentially large undeveloped water resources.

Oman is the third largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. Generally, winters are warm and sunny and summers are very hot and dry, although there are several different climatic regions. Rainfall throughout the year is very low and the water supply is limited.

According to the Directorate General of Agricultural Research of the Sultanate of Oman, research into protected agriculture began in 1992 with the screening and evaluation of cucumber, tomato and sweet pepper in plastic houses.

Fruit and vegetable production

Vegetable production in Oman remained stable in 2007 and 2008, with a yield of 207,652 tonnes. Production in 2006 had fallen 9% in comparison with 2005, when 206,099 tonnes of vegetables were harvested.

As for fruit production, 289,324 tonnes were registered in 2005. Over the following few years, production was stable at around 299,000 tonnes.

Total F&V production: 2005-2008

 
Own elaboration with data as at 23 June 2010 from http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/default.aspx#ancor, Statistics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAOSTAT)

S&G Brassicas Today – July 2010