MUSCAT : The project is part of the ministry’s broader strategy to boost trade, stimulate the seafood sales sector, and expand fish markets and outlets that provide and market seafood.

Dr. Anwar bin Nasser Al Saadi, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in Ibra, stated that the project is being implemented by the Directorate General of Fisheries Marketing and Investment as part of ongoing efforts to meet consumer demand, increase investment in the fisheries sector, and provide job opportunities for the national workforce.

The new market is being built on the site of the old fish market in the Al Saffala commercial district, a prime location due to its central position in Ibra, proximity to the vegetable and fruit market, and access to surrounding shops. The market is one of the oldest and most significant in the governorate, with annual fish landings estimated at around 1,250 tonnes of various species.

Al Saadi highlighted that the new facility will be a closed, fully air-conditioned market designed in line with modern sustainability and public health standards. The project aims to support local economic activity, improve user satisfaction, and ensure the availability of fresh seafood in a hygienic and efficient environment.

Key features of the new market – spread over a 2,081-square-metre plot, with a construction area of 319 square metres -include 12 fish display platforms, an ice-making unit, a waiting room, a pump room and public facilities.

The project, directly funded by the Ministry at a cost of RO 50,000, is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2026.

It is worth noting that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, represented by the General Directorate in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate, supervises 8 fish markets distributed across the governorate’s wilayats, benefiting approximately 100 fish sellers and more than 45 fish cutters from the local community.

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