Oman To Hike Wheat Production Under Food Security Agreements

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has signed 40 agreements to support food security and wheat production projects in the Dhofar Governorate. 

These agreements are part of the ministry’s efforts to support the agricultural sector in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources.

The agreements include contracts for wheat cultivation in the Al Najd agricultural district, covering an area of 28 million square meters and costing OMR 5.5 million. 

Additionally, there are contracts for tissue culture and plant nurseries in the wilayats of Salalah and Barka, with an investment value of OMR 3.5 million and covering an area of about 93,000 square meters.

In 2023, a total of 30 contracts worth about OMR1,050,000 were signed for investment in farming lands in the Al Najd Agricultural Area Development. These contracts cover an area of about 1,260,000 square meters.

Earlier this year, the ministry signed six contracts for agricultural projects in four Omani governorates, with a total value of over OMR32 million. These projects cover an area of more than 3 million square meters.

Other projects include the establishment of a honey bee museum in the Wilayat of Barka, soil enrichment in the same area, planting palm trees in the Buraimi Governorate, establishing an organic agriculture project for pomegranates in the Al Jabal Al Akhdar, and producing and marketing bananas in the Wilayat of A’Suwaiq.

These agreements aim to diversify food sources, optimize land use, and enhance the efficiency of agricultural practices in line with Oman Vision 2040.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MHUP) has signed 40 contracts in Dhofar to increase wheat production and improve food security. 

The agreements were signed by the Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, Dr Khalfan bin Saeed al Shuaili, in the presence of other government officials. 

Out of the 40 contracts, 37 are for cultivating wheat in the Najd area of Dhofar, covering an area of 28 million square meters with an investment of RO5.5 million. 

The remaining three contracts are for agro-textile projects and nurseries in Salalah and Barka, with an investment of RO3.5 million on a total area of 93,000 square meters.

This year, 30 contracts were signed involving the Al Najd Agricultural Area Development Office in Dhofar, valued at RO1.5 million on a total area of 1.26 million square meters. 

Earlier this year, MHUP also signed six contracts for agricultural projects in four governorates, valued at over RO32 million and covering an area of over 3 million square meters.

These agreements align with the government’s efforts to diversify food sources, improve food security, and achieve the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.

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The agreements include the establishment of a honeybee museum in Barka, the enhancement of soil quality in Barka, the plantation of palm trees in Sunaina, the cultivation of pomegranates in Jabal Akhdar, and the establishment of a banana plantation in Suwaiq.