In an effort to enhance food security and elevate local agricultural production, Oman's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources (MAFWR) has initiated a new project for onion cultivation. The project spans over 20 hectares in the wilayat of Dhank, located in the Dhahirah governorate. Funded by the Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund, this venture aims at diminishing the sultanate's dependency on imported onions.
An agreement was formalized between the Directorate General of Agriculture and Water Resources in Dhahirah, representing the ministry, and the Dhank Agricultural Production and Marketing Company. According to the agreement, the ministry will extend both technical and financial support to foster the cultivation of red onions utilizing advanced agricultural practices.
This endeavor is part of a larger collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning to establish an onion cultivation scheme over 400 hectares in Dhahirah governorate. Anticipated to yield approximately 700 tonnes of red onion annually, the project is set to cater to the local market's needs and slash import levels.
Eng Salem bin Ali al Amrani, the Director General of Agriculture and Water Resources in Dhahirah, commented on the project's alignment with Oman Vision 2040's objectives to bolster self-reliance in essential crops such as onions. Adel bin Nasser al Hasani, from Dhank Agricultural Production and Marketing Company, echoed the sentiment of mutual commitment towards augmenting domestic food production and amplifying the private sector's role in agriculture.
With over 3,600 hectares allocated for onion cultivation in 2022, yielding nearly 15,000 tonnes and fulfilling 14% of the nation's onion demand, the Dhank project is poised to further elevate these figures, steering towards reduced import reliance.
Source: Muscat Daily