Ministry pays great attention to growing of grapes in North Al Batinah

Sohar: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources pays great attention to the growing of grapes in North Al Batinah.

Ahmed bin Ali Al Miqbali, Head of the Agricultural Production Division at the Directorate General of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in North Al Batinah Governorate, said that the area allocated for planting grape plants for the current season is estimated at three feddans, including one feddan each in the farms of Wilayat of Al Khaboura and Wilayat of Al Suwaiq, and one feddan in the farms of the wilayats of Sham and Sohar.

He pointed out that the number of grape plants in the wilayats of Al Khaboura and Al Suwaiq is estimated at 1,400.

He said that a number of grape farms in the wilayats of North Al Batinah Governorate receive the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources. This is in the form of partial help in the cost of the irrigation system, full support for vine pergola, free of charge plants to farmers, in addition technical support and guidance.

Sua’ad bint Mohammed Al Quraini, a researcher in the field of fruits at the Agricultural Research Station in North Al Batinah Governorate said that the research programme on grapes crop conducted at the Agricultural Research Station in the Wilayat of Sohar aimed at evaluating the productivity and growing 24 species of local and imported grapes under the climatic conditions of North Al Batinah Governorate and selection of the best species and distribution of the same to the farmers in the various wilayats of the Sultanates.

Over 1,169 grape plants were distributed to the farmers during the last season, she added.

She said that the grapes are grown during January and February in the nursery followed by shifting them to the farms. The arrangement of the vine pergola includes planting of grape plants in lines each of them at a distance of three metres from each other, she said.

The soil where the grapes plants are grown in a sandy-clay with soil PH (Acidity) of 7.5 to 8.5 with drip irrigation system.-ONA