Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman is a leader in producing bananas among the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries. Banana cultivation in the Sultanate of Oman occupies the second place after date palm cultivation. At the level of the Gulf countries, the Sultanate of Oman is at the forefront in producing bananas, and Al Batinah and Dhofar governorates contribute to the highest banana production.”
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources is making great efforts to develop the production of this crop. It has introduced some new varieties for testing and evaluation, and it is expected that it will have a positive impact because of its significant impact on expanding the base of banana genetic resources.
The General Directorate of Agricultural and Animal Research, represented by the Tissue Agriculture and Biotechnology Research Centre, contributes to supplying farmers with different varieties of bananas. The centre has developed 11 banana varieties including (Malindi, Fard, Cavendish, Razat, AlAhmar, Boufan, Williams, Nagal and Pompeii Green) as part of developing economic fruit types and varieties. The project is funded by the Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund. In addition, more than 30,000 seedlings are produced annually in the centre for the various projects of the ministry, and they are distributed and sold according to Ministerial Resolution 95/2010.
