STATUS OF PROTECTED AGRICULTURE IN SULTANATE OF

OMAN

Eng. Muthir Saleh Said Al RawahyHead of Vegetable Crops Research Section

Directorate General of Agriculture and Livestock Research

Adaptation of greenhouses started mid-1980s. In early 1990s the ministry started to

encourage growers to adopt greenhouses by:

◦Initially with 100% subsidy

◦reduced gradually to 50%

ROLE OFTHE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREENHOUSES AND NET-HOUSE TECHNOLOGY

Subsidized, non-subsidized and total Number greenhouses up to 2014

Subs

idize

d

Non Su

bsidi

zed

Total

0100020003000400050006000

2638 2536

5174

Greenhouses

No.

of G

H

Single Span (Quonset) Greenhouses Double Span Greenhouses Multi Span Greenhouses

TYPES OF GREENHOUSES:

4717

390 67

Single Span GH Double Span GHMulti Span GH

Number of different types of greenhouses up to December 2014

GREENHOUSES SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions of Single Span Greenhouses Length = 30-39 m Width = 9 meters Maximum height -

3.25 meters

Dimension of Double Span Greenhouses

Length = 32-36 m Width = 18 meters Maximum height

4.0m

Oman have several agricultural areas with different climate condition:

◦North and South Batinah Costal line (Humid and high temperature)

◦Al Dakhiliya (Dry and High temperature)◦Al Dhahira (Dry and High temperature)◦North and South Sharqiyah ( Windy and high

temperature)◦Dhofar (Humid and moderate temperature)

DISTRIBUTION OFGREENHOUSES AND NET HOUSES IN DIFFERENTGOVERNORATES OF THE SULTANATE

N.Batina

h

S.Bat

inah

Al Dak

hiliya

N.Shar

qiyah

Al Dha

hira

Al Bur

aimi

Musca

t

S.Sha

rqiya

h

Musan

dam

Dhofar

0200400600800

10001200140012561163

921 854

404278

132 105 44 17

Governorates

No,

of G

H

Number of greenhouses in different governorates up to December 2014 

020406080

100120140160 152

53 50 48 4521 11 10 20

7

Governorates

No.

of S

.net

Number of net houses in different governorates December 2014

020406080

100120140

138.3

88.3 88.859.7

34.8 24.8 17.1 19.25.32 1.68

Governorates

Are

a/Fe

ddan

Area of Greenhouses in different Governorates December 2014

 

Al Dak

hiliya

h

N.Bati

nah

S.bati

nah

N.Shar

qiyah

Al Dha

hirah

S.Sha

rqiya

h

Musan

dam

020406080

100120 108

70

165 10

1 1

Governorates

No.

of G

HNumber of Greenhouses with Soilless system in different Governorates December

2014

Cucumber Tomato Sweet Pepper Sweet Melon Beans Strawberries (Soil and Soilless system) Lettuce (Only in Soilless system)

CROPS GROWING IN GREENHOUSES AND NET HOUSES:

For crops such as Cucumber and Sweet melon:

◦ 1st growing season from August to November◦ 2nd growing season from November to January◦ 3rd growing season from February to May◦ 4th growing season from May to July

For Crops such as Tomato and Sweet pepper

◦ 1st growing season from August to December◦ 2nd growing season from January to May◦ 3rd growing season from March to July

 

PERIODS OF CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES IN GREENHOUSES

Price in OR1US$ = 0.388 OR

Area m2 Types

3000 -4500 270-351 Single Span

6000-8500 648-702 Double Span

=> 9000 972 Multi Span

Cost of Greenhouses

Total Price O.R

Unit Price O.R

QTY ITEMS S

400 200 2 Fans 1180 180 1 Cooling Pads 2

180-200 180-200 1 Polyethylene sheet 3100-240 50-120 2 Water pump 4

20 20 1 Planting Trays 520 10 2 Pruning Sesors 6300 300 1 Cooling pad frame 7

Costs of fixed materials, which need to be changed after 2-5 years

Use of huge amount of water for cooling Inefficient cooling system Length of the greenhouse High cost of construction materials (fans,

cooling pads plastic coverage) Soil salinity (frequent use of fertilizers) Excessive use of agricultural pesticides Marketing problems of greenhouses’ products Rent of farms to overseas labors

PROBLEMS AND OBSTACLES FACING GREENHOUSE DEVELOPMENT

THANKS