Muscat – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has announced that importers of selected agricultural products must register their consignments with the Agricultural Quarantine Department before their arrival in Oman.

The directive applies to a wide range of items, including cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, onions, garlic, chili peppers, squash, lettuce, eggplant, zucchini, okra, cabbage, carrots, watermelon, beets, cauliflower, cantaloupe, honey and dates.

The ministry stressed that any shipments arriving at Omani ports without prior registration will not be accepted. It added that it ‘will not bear responsibility for unregistered consignments’.

Importers are required to submit applications via email to om.pqd@mafwr.gov.om

According to the latest data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), Oman’s import of fruits and vegetables increased by 11.6% till the end of May 2024, reaching RO110.34mn compared to RO98.89mn during the same period in 2023.

Exports of fruits and vegetables during the same period were valued at RO13.59mn.

The total weight of Oman’s fruit and vegetable imports grew from 306.58mn kg in 2023 to 320.57mn kg in 2024, reflecting the rising domestic demand for fresh produce as well as re-export activities.

Vegetable imports recorded the highest growth, with their value rising 44.9% to RO42.65mn till May 2024, up from RO29.44mn a year earlier. The weight of imported vegetables also increased from 139.66mn kg to 146.15mn kg.

India, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen were the leading suppliers of vegetables to Oman, the data showed.

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