Oman's agriculture production surged 82.6 per cent to 1,214,000 tons last year from 665,000 tons in 1988 - an average annual 6.9 percent increase, the ministry of agriculture and fisheries stated on Thursday.
The fisheries sector is also producing results due to a vigorous government economic diversification campaign aimed at reducing dependence on oil income, said the ministry in a statement, cited by the Gulf News.
The value of local agricultural and fisheries production stood at 157.5 million rials in 1999 to form 2.6 percent of the gross domestic product, while exports of farms, livestock and fish fetched 52.4 million rials, 26 percent of total non-oil exports.
The rise in farm output was a direct result of improved per-hectare productivity for a number of crops without resorting to any significant expansion in cultivable areas, estimated at 61,500 hectares, said the statement.
Around 47 centers have been developed, based on the latest scientific means to increase output.
Farmers and fishermen are also being provided with modern material and equipment, said the paper.
A local population of 141,000 earns its livelihood from the agriculture sector, including 43,000 from land-owning families and 9,000 other full-time employees engaged in cultivation.
Cattle heads rose from 1,029,000 in 1982 to 1,740,2000 last year, the paper added -- Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
