Land development contracts worth more than 30mn signed

Muscat: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources on Monday signed 28 land development (usufruct) contracts with private sector establishments for the purpose of establishing agriculture and fisheries projects in different governorates of Oman.

The contracts, worth more than OMR33 million, provided for utilising a total area of eight million square metres.

Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, said that the projects meet Oman’s needs for innovative quality projects in line with the country’s food security policies. Al Habsi added that the Ministry will furnish proper environment for investors from Oman and abroad to expand food security projects. He pointed out that Oman’s annual consumption of wheat stands at 320,000 to 350,000 tonnes. It also intends to produce 10 per cent of its consumption locally in future through projects in the governorates.

The contracts were signed by Dr. Khalfan Said Al Shuaili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and the representatives of the respective private firms.

Details of the projects were reported as follows:

- In the Governorate of Muscat: A fin fish farming projects in the Wilayat of A’Seeb (1.5 million square metres, OMR29.65 million) and a rabbit breeding project in the Wilayat of A’Seeb (16,380 sqm, OMR137,000).

- In the Governorate of Al Buraimi: wheat, vegetables and lemon project in the Wilayat of Al Sinaina (840,000 sqm, OMR280,000) and a fodder farming project in the Wilayat of Mahdha (210,000 sqm, OMR147,000).

- In the Governorate of A’Dhahira: Projects for wheat farming in the Wilayat of Dhank (4,670,000 sqm, more than OMR1 million); fruit and vegetable farming project in the Wilayat of Ibri (42,000 sqm, OMR100,000).

- In the Governorate of A’Dakhiliyah: fruit and vegetable project in the Wilayat of Bahla (38,950 sqm, OMR89,000); a similar project in the Wilayat of Izki (42,000 sqm, OMR100,000) and a poultry farm in the Wilayat of Bidbid (10,885 sqm, OMR20,000).

- In the Governorate of North Al Batinah: A project for fruit and vegetable farming and animal feed production in the Wilayat of Al Suwaiq (168,000 sqm, OMR630,000).

- In the Governorate of South Al Batinah: A project to grow vegetables and fruit in the Wilayat of Barka (42,000 sqm, OMR86,000); a project to grow mangoes in the Wilayat of Barka (684,600 sqm, OMR600,000); a project to grow vegetables and fruits in the Wilayat of Nakhal (38,937 sqm, OMR94,000); poultry rearing project in the Wilayat of A’Rustaq (10,542 sqm, OMR56,000); fruit and vegetable farming project in the Wilayat of Al Musanaa (42,000 sqm, OMR100,000).

- In the Governorate of South A’Sharqiyah: Two projects to grow vegetables and fruits in the Wilayat of Al Kamil W’al-Wafi (54,100 sqm, OMR80,000).