Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

238 Les productions bananières / Bananas and food security – Session 1
Abstract
This paper reports status, constraints and future considerations in respect of banana
production in Oman. Banana ranks three after dates and lime occupying 2462 ha and
producing about 35,000 tons per annum. Batinah coast of Northern Oman comprising
Suwaiq, Saham, Shinaas and Sohar and Salalah plains of southern Oman are identified as
major banana growing areas. Unlike elsewhere in the world, banana is generally grown
in sandy loam soils under arid climate with either traditional or drip irrigation. Most of
the cultivars belonging to “Cavendish” called by several local names viz. Malindi, Fard,
Barshi and Naggal have been studied and described for vegetative and bunch
characteristics. Importance of identification, characterisation and utilisation of other
available clones is highlighted. Banana based farming systems are often varied from
home garden for domestic purpose, intercropping with fruit trees for sustainability to
intensive monocropping for commercial production to meet local and foreign demands.
Existing cultural practices for planting, spacing, sucker and weed management, irrigation,
fertilisation and harvesting are discussed. Major insect pests, diseases and nematodes
including their control measures are enlisted. Postharvest handling, transport, storage
and ripening of bananas are overviewed. It was observed from this study that marketing
of banana is highly developed and regulated through Public Authority for Marketing of
Agricultural Products (PAMAP). The major constraints of banana production pertaining to
lack of suitable varieties, increasing salinity of irrigation water, prevalence of Sigatoka
disease in Batinah coast and cigar end rot, Moko disease and burrowing nematode in
Salalah plains are outlined. Finally, strategies are provided for banana development.
Basic data on the Sultanate of Oman
Geographical location
The Sultanate of Oman is located the eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula, stretching
1700 km from the Strait of Hormuz in the north to the frontiers of Yemen in the South.
The country is located between latitudes 16 o 40’N and 26 o 20’ N and longitude 51 o E and
59 o 40’ E.
Topography
The Sultanate of Oman occupies an area of 314,000 km2 , the second largest country by
size in the Arabian Peninsula. The coastal plain facing the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian
Sea occupies 9500 km2 (3% of the total area) and is the most important area for
agriculture. Mountains cover 47,000 km2 (15% of total area). Sand and desert
predominate, occupying 257,000 km2 (82% of the total area).
Administrative organisation
The Sultanate is divided into eight administrative regions. There are three Governorates:
Muscat (central administrative area) Dhofar and Musandam and five regions: Al-Batinah
(coast), Al-Dakhilya (interior), Al -Sharqiya (East), Al-Dahirah and Al-Wousta.