North Al Sharqiyah Grape Festival kicks off
The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.
Mahmoud Yahya Al Dhuhli, Governor of North A'Sharqiyah, emphasized the festival's role in fostering government-community partnerships while announcing ambitious new agricultural targets. The current edition introduces a model grape farm project aiming to cultivate an additional 100 acres, bringing total cultivation area to 127 acres with estimated production of 635 tonnes valued at over OMR1 million. The project will also introduce six new international grape varieties selected for their quality, storage capability, and transport durability to enhance competitiveness in domestic and international markets, he added.
The opening day featured a documentary chronicling the development of grape cultivation in Oman, followed by a scientific presentation from Dr. Rashid Al Yahyai, Dean of the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University. The presentation highlighted agricultural development through biotechnology and research while stressing the importance of farmer-academic institution partnerships. Local farmers shared success stories demonstrating modern irrigation techniques, organic fertilization, and marketing approaches, alongside presentations of new investment agreements supporting grape cultivation and food processing industries.
The Minister honored contributing participants and farmers before inaugurating the accompanying exhibition, which featured specialized displays of grape varieties, processed products, and modern agricultural equipment with participation from public and private sector institutions.
The festival continues on Tuesday with an "Agricultural Lab" focusing on farming challenges and agricultural investment development in North Al Sharqiyah, featuring participation from specialists and agricultural experts. Organised through collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and the North Al Sharqiyah Governor's Office, with participation from government and private institutions, the festival serves as a comprehensive platform to empower farmers, promote agricultural innovation, and establish North Al Sharqiyah as a promising agricultural center in Oman.
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