People in the Sultanate of Oman are at present more focused on healthier diets, with more fruits and vegetables inclusion. The shift in dietary habits is reflected in the country's higher rate of agricultural production, says a report.
"There is a shift in the traditional dietary habits towards organic food. This is anticipated to influence vegetables and fruits production in the country," says the report by Mordor Intelligence, which forecasts an increase in the volume of agriculture production in the country.
According to the report, the interest in wellness and immunity has spiked due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a higher demand for fruits and vegetables in the domestic market and in partner countries.
The report by Mordor, a firm specialised in advisory services, expects the agriculture sector in Oman to record a compound annual growth rate of 2.4 per cent from 2022 to 2027.
"The increase in the adoption of advanced farming technologies and conducive government policies supporting domestic crop production are some of the factors driving the market growth in the country," points out the report.
Agriculture is considered the pillar of economic growth in the country; thus, it resulted in an immediate response from the national government to ensure food safety and security in the country.
The increase in the adoption of advanced farming technologies and conducive government policies supporting domestic crop production are some of the factors driving the market growth in the country.
Oman majorly meets its domestic fruits, vegetables and cereals demand through imports.
Therefore, says the report, "to reduce import dependency, the country is aiming for self-sufficiency in agricultural products by encouraging its farmers to adopt advanced farming techniques".
According to Oman's agriculture ministry, despite Covid-19, the agriculture and fisheries sector saw a growth of 9.8 per cent in 2019-2020. Hence, the country's agriculture market witnessed an impressive growth during the pandemic.
The country's agricultural production comprises mainly dates, vegetables, fruits, and other crops in a minor quantity. Fruits like bananas and papaya are also grown in coastal regions, which accounted for 18,447 metric tonnes and 5,840 metric tonnes of production respectively in 2020.
Additionally, the Sultanate of Oman has increased its barley, sorghum and wheat production in recent years.
The government has launched several initiatives to encourage private sector production, such as updating regulations, providing low-interest loans, aiding domestic production and running campaigns to increase the visibility of locally made products, which is anticipating the growth of the agriculture during the forecast period.
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