Oman: Shortage of local pomegranates
The harvest of pomegranates in the area normally takes place between July and September, with the peak of the season being August.
Low volume and high demand means high prices, but, so far, people seem willing to pay them.
According to Hassan Mohammed, a Muttrah based fruit and vegetable vendor specialising in local crops, Omani pomegranates sell for RO3 to 4 per kilo ($7.80 - 10.40 US), while imported fruit sells for below RO2 per kilo. ''We haven't been able to source any local pomegranates this year and it is getting late in the season,'' he said.
He says that the shortage in the shops is related to an increase in the region's tourism. ''The youth in pomegranate producing areas sell their fruit by the side of the road, and tourists from Oman and other GCC countries are prepared to pay extremely high prices for the fruit.''
Rashid al Yahyai, assistant professor of horticulture at Sultan Qaboos University's department of crop sciences, said, ''The traditional cultivars that are commonly grown in Oman include Helow (sweet), Qusum (hard-seeded, Malasi (soft skin), and Hamedh (sour). The most prized variety is the Helow, which is larger and sweeter than others.''
Yahyai said that even though the annual yield is up to 180 fruits per mature tree, ''limited trees mean limited production, which forces Oman to import pomegranates over US$2mn every year.''
Source: menafn.com
