Cultivated area in Oman has increased

The estimated cultivated area in the Sultanate has increased by the end of 2019 to reach 262,855 acres, compared to 259,257 acres at the end of 2018.The total agricultural yield increased to 3,018,103 tons, compared to 2,951,113 tons at the end of 2018, according to the preliminary statistical data in the Statistical Yearbook issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

According to the data, forage crops occupied the largest area of cultivated lands, with a total area of 119,959 acres, with its total production reaching 1,698,706 tons, followed by fruit crops on a total area of 77,510 acres with a total production of 468,654 tons of fruit crops. Vegetables followed this on a total area of 55,121 acres, with total production of 825,260 tons while the total cultivated area of field crops reached 10,265 acres, with production of 25,483 tons.

Among forage crops, the total planted area of alfalfa grass in Oman at the end of 2019 reached 23,710 acres, with a total production of 406,586 tons while the total area planted with Rhodes grass reached 87,480 acres, with 1,191,480 tons production.

The total area planted with Sorghum reached 4,222 acres, with a total production of 49,823 tons while the areas planted with other fodder crops amounted to 4,547 acres, with a total production of 50,817 tons of these crops.

As for fruit crops, the NCSI data revealed that date palm occupied an area of 60,434 acres, with total production of 376,850 tons while mangoes acquired an area of 3,623 acres, with a total production of 16,006 tons. The total areas planted with bananas reached 3,751 acres, with a total production of 18,447 tons.

The total areas planted with lemon reached 3,366 acres, with a production of 7,189 tons while the total areas planted with coconut palm reached 1,517 acres, with a total production of 6,709 tons. The area planted with other fruit trees reached 4,120 acres, with a total production of 37,623 tons.

Regarding vegetable crops, the data showed that tomatoes acquired the largest space of cultivated areas, reaching 6,091 acres, with a production of 201,293 tons, followed by watermelon, with a total area of 4,162 acres, producing 56,616 tons. Cauliflower was planted in a total area of 3,345 acres, with production of 28,315 tons. Cantaloupes were planted in a total area of 2,875 acres, producing 33,813 tons while pepper acquired a total area of 2,557 acres, with total production of 65,331 tons.

The total areas planted with okra reached 1,935 acres, with a total production of 16,843 tons while the total areas planted with eggplant reached 2,118 acres, with production of 30,895 tons, and the total areas planted with cabbage reached 1,832 acres, with production of 19,192 tons of cabbage while onions occupied an area of 1,324 acres, with total production of 9,163 tons. The total area planted with potatoes reached 1,489 acres, with production of 15,766 tons.

The total area planted with carrots reached 1,385 acres, producing 18,303 tons of carrots while zucchini was cultivated in a total area of 1,170 acres, which produced 10,656 tons. Garlic was cultivated in a total area of 440 acres, producing 2,501 tons, and radish was cultivated in a total are of 373 acres, which produced 3,070 tons.

Cucumber was cultivated in a total area of 326 acres, where it produced 73,983 tons of cucumber while the areas cultivated with other vegetables reached 23,697 acres, with a total production of 239,520 tons.

With regard to field crops, maize acquired a total area of 2,469 acres, with a production of 8,916 tons; the total area planted with wheat reached 2,235 acres, with a production of 3,615 tons; the total area planted with barley reached 1,459 acres, with a total production of 1,901 tons; and other field crops occupied a total area of 4,102 acres, with a production of 11,051 tons.