Cultivated area decreased by 2.2% in 2020: NCSI

The estimated cultivated area in the sultanate has decreased by 2.2 per cent by the end of 2020 to 256,959 acres, compared to 262,855 acres at the end of 2019, according to the data in the StatisticsYearbook issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Perennial fodder crops had the highest percentage of the total cultivated area during 2020 with 32.8 per cent followed by fruit crops with about 30.8 per cent. The perennial fodder crops contributed with 41.1 per cent of the total sultanate’s production of agricultural crops in 2020, while vegetables production came second with 38.2 per cent.

According to the data, fodder crops occupied the largest area of cultivated lands, with a total area of 84,279 acres, with its total production reaching 1,247,105 tonnes, followed by fruit crops on a total area of 79,210 acres with a total production of 464,929 tonnes.

This was followed by vegetable cultivation on a total area of 69,276 acres, with a total production of 1,159,540 tonnes while the total cultivated area of field crops reached 24,194 acres, with production of 162,545 tonnes.

Among the forage crops, the total planted area of alfalfa grass in Oman at the end of 2020 reached 13,709 acres, with a total production of 239,867 tonnes while the total area planted with Rhodes grass reached 54,729 acres, with 614,592 tonnes of production.

The total area planted with sorghum reached 8,747 acres, with a total production of 148,884 tonnes while the areas planted with other fodder crops amounted to 7,094 acres, with a total production of 50,817 tonnes of these crops.

As for fruit crops, the NCSI data revealed that date palm occupied an area of 61,024 acres, with total production of 364,577 tonnes while mangoes acquired an area of 3,623 acres, with a total production of 16,006 tonnes. The total areas planted with bananas reached 3,751 acres, with a total production of 18,447 tonnes.

The total areas planted with lemon reached 4,166 acres, with a production of 8,389 tonnes while the total area planted with coconut palm reached 1,517 acres, with a total production of 6,709 tonnes. The area planted with other fruit trees reached 4,430 acres, with a total production of 40,971 tonnes.

Regarding vegetable crops, the data showed that tomatoes acquired the largest space of cultivated area, reaching 8,843 acres, with a production of 340,228 tonnes, followed by cantaloupe with a total area of 4,555 acres, and production of 50,910 tonnes.

Okra were planted in a total area of 3,404 acres, with production of 13,112 tonnes, while watermelon with a total area of 2,388 acres, producing 37,090 tonnes.

Fodder crops occupied the largest area (84,279 acres) followed by fruit crops (79,210 acres) and vegetables (69,276 acres)