Food production in the Sultanate witnessed a significant change in the last decade and so is the preference of Omanis for food products. Studies have found that locally-produced food items are the preferred choice of a vast majority of Omanis, pointing to the fact that they buy fresher and healthier food.
A recent survey done as part of a study by a scholar from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) revealed that a good percentage of the respondents preferred to buy specific local brands when they shop for food.
“Majority of the consumers buy locally-produced valued added food products as the price and quality of the products are as good as the imported ones,” says the study conducted by Arwa al Maamari part of her Master’s programme.
The study was supervised by Dr Msafiri Daudi Mbaga, Associate Professor at the Natural
Resources Economics of the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences at SQU.
The results of the survey indicate that Omani consumers strongly support the ‘Origin Oman’ and ‘Buy Local’ campaigns.
The study was conducted to see the level of consumer ethnocentrism in Oman and the willingness of the consumers to pay for locally produced food products.
Seven locally produced food commodities were included in the study for which data was collected using questionnaire. A total of 345 shoppers were interviewed. The sample comprised mostly Omanis at 71 per cent with males and females were 68 and 32 per cent, respectively. Results showed that Omani consumers are strongly ethnocentric.
Consumer ethnocentrism is the belief held by consumers about the appropriateness and morality of purchasing imported products.
A vast majority of 87.6 per cent per cent of the respondents in the study, which analysed the consumer behaviour towards ‘Origin Oman’ and ‘Buy Local’, were in favour of government’s participation in encouraging Omanis to buy locally produced value added food products.
Only 48.2 per cent of the respondents agreed that the ‘Buy Local’ campaign has been successful in persuading Omanis to think about changing their food shopping habits.
With regard to job opportunities, 86.7 per cent thought that buying locally produced value added food products would create job opportunities in Oman. This view was supported by 92.2 per cent of respondents who were of the opinion that buying Omani locally produced food products would help Oman’s economy.
Also 85.8 per cent respondents opined that Oman’s agricultural industry must be more competitive.
The study also pointed out that consumers want the agricultural industry to be competitive. Furthermore, Omani consumers understand that buying locally produced food products would create jobs in Oman and help the economy.
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