Suwaiq – As Oman steps up efforts to strengthen food security and promote high-value crops, a Suwaiq farmer’s successful sesame harvest is highlighting the crop’s potential as a commercially viable option under local conditions.

Saeed al Jahouri recently completed a full sesame cultivation cycle, demonstrating encouraging yields and market prospects.

Jahouri told Muscat Daily that he planted one feddan of sesame in September 2025 and began harvesting in January 2026. The crop is currently being dried ahead of marketing, with expected yield of around half a tonne.

“The results are promising,” he said, noting that sesame’s nutritional and commercial value, combined with the possibility of two planting cycles annually, can help improve farm returns.

Farming since 2013, Jahouri now cultivates about ten feddans, supplying the local market with tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, mangoes and guavas. He said his experience reflects a broader shift among farmers towards crop diversification.

He noted that heavy volumes of imported produce often put pressure on domestic prices and farmers’ margins, stressing the need to balance imports with local production.

Energy costs remain another concern, with high summer electricity bills raising farming expenses. Jahouri called for expanded support for solar-powered irrigation and farm operations.

Encouraged by this season’s results, he plans to expand sesame cultivation by four additional feddans in March and share his experience with other farmers.

His farm is part of a programme to expand legumes and cereal crops in suitable governorates. Funded by the Agriculture and Fisheries Development Fund and implemented by the Directorate General of Agricultural Development, the initiative seeks to boost self-sufficiency in strategic crops.

Globally valued for its oil, protein and minerals, sesame is known for its heat tolerance and relatively low water requirements, making it suitable for cultivation in several parts of Oman.

“With harvesting now under way in several farms, sesame is gradually positioning itself as a supportive element in Oman’s food security strategy,” Jahouri added.

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