Efforts on to boost coconut palm cultivation in Dhofar

Salalah: Considering the economic importance of coconut palm, all round efforts are being made by government institutions in the Governorate of Dhofar to promote its cultivation.
The Governorate of Dhofar is rich in many tropical fruit crops and one of them is coconut palm, which is largely grown in the coastal areas of the governorate due to appropriate climate conditions.
Some people call the coconut palm "The Tree of Life" due to its multiple economic, nutritional, healing and cosmetic benefits. It is considered one of the main sources of vegetable oils. It is used in extracting oil and butter and making various types of sweets and cosmetics.
Due to its economic importance, the concerned government institutions in the Governorate of Dhofar are exerting efforts to increase the cultivated area or multiplying their numbers and producing improved high quality seedlings for planting, in addition to controlling the agricultural pests.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries continues to implement the distribution project of 50,000 seedlings over a period of 5 years. The project started in October 2017. The Ministry has distributed more than 12,522 coconut palm seedlings to farmers, citizens and government institutions. The project continues until it reaches the target number.
Dhofar Municipality is keen to pay attention to growing many coconut palm trees in a number of locations in Salalah and some coastal wilayats. The municipality has planted 3,109 trees, from 2018 to the middle of 2020, along the main roads and public places in Salalah.
Dhofar Municipality oversees a farm for coconut trees, which has about 5,200 trees. The total number of coconut palm trees in the municipality stands at 11,740 in various public places of the governorate.
Dr. Ahmed bin Bakhait Al Shanfari, Director of the Department of Agricultural and Animal Research in the Governorate of Dhofar, said in a statement, “The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries made great efforts to develop and maintain this crop”.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is working to produce and distribute seedlings of various varieties of coconuts in its fruit nursery at the Agricultural Research Station, in addition to issuing brochures and guides on caring for the coconut tree and combating agricultural and pathological pests that affect its growth and productivity.