A report released by Oman’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said that fish and agricultural production in 2012 increased to OMR 462 million in comparison with OMR 362.2 million recorded in 2009, as the annual growth average recorded in 2009-2013 was 8.5 per cent and the value of the agricultural production has steadily increased.
Fish production increased from OMR 110,700 in 2009 to 142,000 in 2012, which marks a promising growth in the value of production of key sectors.
The study indicated that the agricultural sector is a cornerstone of agricultural development and its contribution is significant in increasing the GDP and employment, as the sector has seen a significant increase in the rate of self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has adopted many different plans that include the agricultural and fishing policies and programmes that are aimed at sustainable development and conservation of natural resources.
The Ministry identified the main objectives and policies for each sector to achieve more sustainable development in the agriculture sector in order to develop production systems to achieve the highest quality of agricultural products and increasing the economic, social and environmental return that is consistent with the fundamentals of sustainability of agricultural resources. The objective was also to avail jobs for citizens and diversifying sources of income with an annual growth rate of 8.4 per cent over the past four years.
The continued growth in agricultural and fish production led to an increase in sector’s participation in the provision of food, as the local agricultural and fish production covered the 39.5 per cent of the total consumption of the Sultanate of food on average during the period 2009-2012.
The economic performance of the agriculture and fisheries sectors showed that there was a positive development in the growth of the agricultural and fishery activities, with an average growth of quantity of plant production during the period 2009-2012, of about 1.6 per cent, livestock production 17.3 per cent while the growth rate of the amount of fish production was 6.3 per cent.
Noting an increase of the total value of agricultural and fish production of OMR 362.2 million in 2009 to OMR 462 million in 2012, the reportdisclosed an annual growth rate of 8.5 per cent during the reference period.This rate represents the increase in earnings growth rates for the three main sectors.
2012 Muscat Press & Publishing House SAOC