MUSCAT : The season is expected to continue until early August, with locally grown grapes seeing strong demand in regional markets due to their rich flavour and high quality.

Salem bin Suhail Al Alawi, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in Yanqul, pointed out that approximately 13 acres of the wilayat are covered with grape vines, totaling around 2,600 grape trees. These include both local and imported varieties, contributing significantly to the local market supply during the summer season.

He noted that the Ministry provides numerous services to grape farmers, including technical supervision and advisory follow-up related to planting distances, grape trellis design, and modern irrigation systems. Additionally, it also assists in pest control, provision of grape seedlings to farmers, and scheduling preventative spraying and fertilisation.

He added that the services also include transferring farmers’ expertise and experiences to others in neighbouring states or governorates, creating a source of income for farmers and benefiting from the region’s resources while rationalising the consumption of water resources by using modern irrigation technology.

Qais bin Nasser Al Farsi, a grape farmer in Yanqul, highlighted that the wilayat has been engaged in commercial grape farming for over 15 years. He cultivates a mix of local black and white grapes along with imported varieties such as Taif, American, and Turkish grapes, which are known for their flavour diversity.

He explained that vineyards require continuous care before the flowering and fruiting season, including preparing and fertilising the soil, applying fertilisers, and monitoring the regular irrigation of the grape trees.

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