Page 37 - AA 2024

Oman

Oman Fruit and Vegetable Market Size & Share

Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The Oman Fruits and Vegetables Market wealthier countries such as Switzerland,
size is estimated at USD 1.52 billion in Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates.
2023, and is expected to reach USD 2.11 Thus, the efforts by the government
billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of to promote sustainable farming and
6.77% during the forecast period (2023- consumers’ growing preference for
2028). natural products are expected to drive
• Since agriculture is considered the the demand for organic fruits and
pillar of economic growth, the Omani vegetables in the country.
government has taken various measures Greenhouse Cultivation is Boost-
to ensure food safety and security. ing the Vegetables Market
According to Oman’s Agriculture Ministry,
the agriculture and fisheries sectors Oman is one of the Arab countries
witnessed a growth of 9.8%. Production concerns for health and wellness. in the southeastern portion of the
of vegetables and fruits in Oman has Demand is strong for fresh fruits and Arabian Peninsula. The country is
been divided into two periods. The first vegetables. Higher disposable incomes primarily dependent on oil and gas to
period begins in September, while the have resulted in consumers shifting sustain its economy. Oman’s economic
second begins in February. In the first from a carbohydrate-based staple diet development policy increasingly
period, vegetables like pepper, eggplant, to a nutrition-rich diet. In addition, the emphasizes agricultural and fishery
cucumber, and pumpkin are grown in growing awareness of health among commodities as vital in expanding
warm temperatures. Winter cabbage, a larger section of the population, its non-oil contribution to the gross
cauliflowers, and peas are grown in the especially millennials, is leading them to domestic product. Chief among these
country in the second period. move toward organic products. To meet commodities are fruit and vegetables.
• Owing to increasing disposable this demand, many organic farms have Farming in the desert is a challenge,
incomes, people in Oman are presently launched new products. The Masrooq but with the help of The Ministry of
more focused on healthier diets, with Farm in Ibri, Al Dhahirah Governorate, Commerce and Industry, in 2020, two
more inclusion of fruits and vegetables. In completely switched to organic Omanis, Hamyar Khamis al Rawahi
addition, with the rising ex-pat population cultivation by focusing on organic dates. and Hatim bin Sulaiman bin Hamood
in Oman, there is a shift from traditional The sustainable future of agriculture in al Rawahi, have successfully overcome
dietary habits to organic foods, which has Oman, therefore, depends very much the odds and produced 180 ton of
influenced vegetable production in the on adopting land and water-saving cucumber per month. They started with
country. Production of total primary fruits technologies such as greenhouses, 15 greenhouses to produce cucumbers
and vegetables in the country accounted soilless culture and hydroponics, and
for 514 thousand metric ton and 782 soil-based Integrated Production and and now have 62, helping them cultivate
thousand metric ton, respectively, in Protection Management (IPPM). for almost eight months a year.
2021. Tomato is a prominent vegetable An emerging key global trend is the Local Omani cucumber is among the
produced in the country, followed by increasing production of vegetables in most important traditional vegetable
eggplants, cauliflower, chilies and greenhouses and vertical farms. These crops grown in the Sultanate of Oman.
peppers. Dates and watermelon were production technologies help mitigate Different names, such as Samail,
majorly produced among fruits, followed many limitations on conventional open- Bahla, and Nizwa, were given to local
by banana, mango, lemon, and papaya in field vegetable farming in desert types, resulting in about 24 different
2021. countries such as Oman, where summer accessions of local cucumber. The
• The Oman Investment Authority temperatures sometimes reach above increased consumer demand for
(OIA) announced the launch of a new 45ºC. One such approach is the net house, cucumber in recent years has resulted
project to market vegetables and fruits developed by the International Centre in expanding the area under cultivation
in the Sultanate in cooperation with the for Agricultural Research in the Dry and introducing new hybrid cultivars.
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Areas (ICARDA) and Arabian Peninsula The damping-off disease is Oman’s
2020. The project aims to establish model National Agricultural Research Systems most important biological constraint
farms in various governorates according (NARS). It is a fabric, insect-proof net to greenhouse cucumber production.
to the comparative advantage, diversity greenhouse structure that enables high- Average losses of over 6% of seedlings
of climates, and environments suitable yield vegetable production in desert are common, with much higher losses
for the growth of various crops. Thus, conditions for 8 to 9 months of the year. occurring on many farms, especially
considering these factors, the market is The Ministry of Agriculture and where crop management practices are
projected to record steady growth. Fisheries, in cooperation with the poor, thus hindering the production of
Oman Fruits and Vegetables authorities concerned, is endeavoring cucumbers in the country. However,
Market Trends to adopt organic farming through R&D with the increasing focus on boosting
Growing Preference for Organic efforts that contribute to promoting crop production, various awareness
organic farming. The global demand
Produce for vegetables is increasing and will programs are being conducted on crop
The demand for organic food is gaining continue to do so. Growth in demand for management practices, which in turn, is
traction, bolstered by consumers’ growing organic vegetables is especially strong in leading to market growth.
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