http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.php feature articles from the Omani press en-us Nucleus CMS v3.51 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.php/nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.php http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=577 A Veritable Fruit Paradise in Times of Oman

Aftab H. Kola
Sunday, September 13, 2009 12:30:15 AM Oman Time

ONCE upon a time, the luxuriant date palm was the ‘tree of life’ in this part of the world and barring the cultivation of dates, farming in Arabia was a perpetual contest between man and nature.

But today the scene has changed dramatically with the government of Oman backing all efforts to produce fruits and vegetables in the country. Perhaps the government has self-sufficiency in mind. What government does not?

The agricultural sector plays a leading role in food self-sufficiency and in contributing considerably towards non-oil export. Due to continuous and growing inter-relationship with other economic sectors, the agricultural activities make great impact on social development as well as on employment and rural communities.

Jabal Al Akhdar, where the height of the peaks vary from 7,000 to 9,000 feet, moored high up in the central mountain ranges of Al Hajar, is not just a plethora of colour and sheer unadulterated picture-postcard mountains, but also a place where fruit orchards and roses flourish.

Seeing is believing

Come September and the mountains here bloom with a profusion of pomegranates and a variety of fruits, fruits the kind which no one would believe grow here — peaches, pears of many different origins. And so recently one fine morning we ascended the green mountain to explore the fruit oasis.

The climb up to Jabal Akhdar isn’t that tough, but one has to be careful as unlike on Indian roads, people here do not have the habit of blowing their horn while driving. Our first visit was to the farm of the Ministry of Agriculture where we met Engineer Saleh Mohammed Al Abri, director-general of Agriculture and Animal Wealth, Interior Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Salim Rashed Marhoon Al Tobi, manager of the farm.

Taking us around, Engineer Saleh told us that Jabal Al Akhdar is home to about 22,000 pomegranates trees spread over nine villages.

During September-October these mountains transform into a fruit paradise with the full-blown goodness of luscious fruits — pomegranates, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, pears, apricots, plums, peaches, figs, walnuts and almonds, among others. But it’s the pomegranate that stands tall among other fruits. It represents the most valuable source of income for farmers in these mountains.

The most lucrative of Jabal’s fruit crops, pomegranates, account for the major chunk of a farmer’s income through agriculture. Just as prized though is the walnut, which is ranked only next to the pomegranate as a much-valued cash crop.

The finest pomegranates in the world are grown in the terraced villages on the Sayq plateau here. In Sayq alone 373 farms produce a plethora of different fruits. For the farmers of Wadi Bani Habib, Shuraijah, Al Ayn and Sayq pomegranates are the year’s most valuable cash crop.

The stage begins in February with the pruning of the trees.

In May the trees bloom with beautiful bright red flowers, heralding the harvest to come. The semi-deciduous trees with their bright green glossy leaves are nurtured by loamy soil, around 300mm of winter rain, low humidity and hot summers. They grow up to eight metres high and a good tree will bear about 250 pomegranates every season.

The price for the pomegranates is decided at an auction in Nizwa souq. By 5am the farmers from the mountains have travelled down to ensure that the fruit is ready to go for auction. The September harvest yields the second large cash crop, walnuts. One mature walnut tree produces 15,000 to 20,000 nuts in a season. Other fruits cultivated in September are grapes and pears.

The farm administered by the Ministry of Agriculture on seven acres of Sayq plateau nurtures hybrid pomegranates as well as a variety of Mediterranean trees such as apricots, plums, peaches, figs, olives, almonds, pistachios and apples. Another favourite from the mountain is the bluish-black berry found on the thorny boot trees.

According to the Directorate of Agriculture, a total of 52,948 trees are scattered all over the mountains. Of these pomegranates take the bulk — 20,458 trees. Pomegranates are the major farm product in the area. But only 400 are in the government farm though, the rest are distributed among nine villages in the area.

Among fruit trees, grapes (1,084), quince (1,646), apricots (3,437) are grown. Among the villages which are home to pomegranate trees, Sayq tops the list with 6,456 trees while Al Shuraijah with 4,721 trees and Wadi Bani Habib with 1,601 trees are the other two villages where the delightful fruits are cultivated in abundance. They have 23 varieties of olives here. In the world there are around 300 varieties, the DG said. Not just cultivation, they are planning to produce olive oil in Oman and have found that they can produce the best quality olive oil in this country.

Just imagine made-in-Oman olive oil stacked in our supermarkets, won’t we be proud? Of course we would. Yes, they are out to make every Omani proud. There we found a small green shrub like plant — Al Elan — we think that’s what they called it. When mashed in your hands it leaves a subtle smell of some kind of a perfume. Incidentally it is found in Kerala also. Where it is grown as a garden plant. Here they extract perfume from it and its wood can be used for making house roofs. We also feasted on figs, a variety of them, including the wild cactus variety. (Here a word of caution: don’t make haste while plucking them, their thorns have an uncanny knack of penetrating deep into your skin and making you feel quite uncomfortable).

Strawberry, raspberry, both crimson and scarlet; apricot, varieties of wild berries. You name them, the farm grows them here. There are grapes too at the farm, both purple and greenish-white varieties, both big and small … man it is a veritable feast out there.

There was even an apple plant, yes, plant. It was just a plant and looked healthy and showed promise of blooming into a healthy tree. Just imagine plucking apples in Oman.

Anything is possible. This is what those working in this farm are proving to the world. There are 17 people working here. There are about 5,000 rose plants at the farm. Roses are grown in March-April. You can extract seven litres of rose water per plant.

Organic farming

This farm is doing a great deal to promote advanced organic farming. They use only compost and water. For compost the dung of sheep and goats is used. As we got talking, the DG revealed a secret to us. One that they rarely show outsiders — yes, he took us to the laboratory where the project he himself had started in 2003, the Integrated Pest management Project, was being worked on.

IPM lays emphasis on developing alternative control measures to conventional insecticides such as biological and cultural control methods.

Pomegranates are prone to being infested by larvae of a moth causing complete loss of yield.

A wide range of hosts characterises the insect, among which is the wild Al-Talh (Acacia raddiana). The strategy for controlling the pest is by adopting one or more of the following options: Awareness, early forecast, biological control using locally reared eggs and proper cultural practices.

Encouraging results were obtained through the adoption of such strategy during 2005.The amount of chemical used for control of the pest was reduced by more than 83% with only 1.1% of fruits infested with the moth. The quality showed improvement and average fruit weight also increased by 7.3% compared to that in 2003.

Percentage of infested fruits was also reduced to 1.3% the same year. During 2006 and 2007, 180 and 220 million respectively of Trichogramma SP were produced and released into the field. This ongoing programme is one of most successful IPM programmes in the Sultanate.

To control pests in pomegranates a parasite is released into the tree. Pomegranates are infested by a kind of moth, which lays eggs on the fruits. When the eggs hatch, they penetrate the skin of the fruit and go inside, totally destroying the fruit.

The Tricograma parasites that are released in the pomegranates garden latch onto these eggs laid by the moths and eat them up, thus saving the fruits.]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=577 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:04:03 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=574 Saturday, August 08, 2009 10:39:43 PM Oman Time

MUSCAT — As Oman waits with baited breath to view the first of its kind exhibition where 100 original Rembrandt prints will be shown at the Afrah Ballroom of Grand Hyatt from August 19, connoisseurs of art should be grateful to the Sultanate’s oldest library — Al Salmi Library — for initiating this remarkable project.

Al Salmi Library is presenting the Rembrandt in Oman exhibition, which will end on September 19.

Though Al Salmi Library has been around for more than 100 years, not many are aware of its existence or the richness of its past.

Narrating the story of how the library came into being, Abdullah Salem Al Salmi says: “The library was started by my grandfather Noor Aldeen Al Salmi. He was born in 1867. We presume that the library started taking shape sometime in 1887.”

The library initially was part of the school that Noor Aldeen Al Salmi founded.

A teacher of language, history, religion and various other subjects, Noor Aldeen Al Salmi’s love for books and manuscripts was legendary.

Read the rest of the article at Times of Oman]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=574 Sun, 9 Aug 2009 21:23:36 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=573 Saturday, August 08, 2009 10:40:52 PM Oman Time

A decade ago, Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Zedjali decided to change drug addicts’ lives both within and outside the Sultanate through awareness and voluntary campaigns. This extraordinary Omani citizen is currently conducting lectures in private sector organisations, and taking his crusade to schools, colleges and universities. His latest successful campaign, undertaken in cooperation with Oman Mobile, was titled, ‘We Are Healthy Without Drugs’. In the campaign, he came up with a million copies of Hayyak cards with quotes and pictures of famous Omanis. Mohammed Al Zedjali shares his experiences with Times of Oman.

Read the rest of the article at Times of Oman]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=573 Sun, 9 Aug 2009 21:19:31 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=572
On a visit to frankincense land, Times of Oman zeroed in on the municipality recreational centre, to meet some women who engaged in two of these traditional occupations —
saviac and pottery making.

While saviac and pottery have, in the past, been used as household objects, today, their appeal is more aesthetic — they are mostly used for decorating homes.

Al safiat, made from palm leaves (Al kous), catches the eye for sheer variety of form and colour. Once a part of daily life, being used for eating, drinking and a host of other things, Al safiat is a part of Oman’s heritage. No wonder, women well-versed in the craft are now teaching their daughters the art of making Al safiat.

Woven out of palm frond, Al safiat is used for making Al hassier (carpet), Al selal (basket), Al tefal or Al kifaiah (mat), Al kafaf, Al jeriat and several other things. Leather is used in some of the items.

Read the rest of this article in the Times of Oman, 8th August 2009]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=572 Sat, 8 Aug 2009 19:22:12 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=559
JUST over ten years ago, a book called Regards Muscat was launched in the market. The book had a bright vermilion cover and a watercolour of a mosque with blue domes. It was from the Editions Michel Hetier, written by Michele Barrault and translated into English by Nadia Fairbrother. The same trio has now come out with Regards Batinah with credit for photography going to Michel Hetier.

Regards Batinah begins with the opening lines: Batinah — The Very Essence of Oman — No other region in Oman is so close to its geography, geology, history or traditions as Batinah. With these words, Regards Batinah is presented in seven chapters covering history, the economy, the city of Sohar, Batinah South, the forts and wadis of Batinah and Northern Batinah.The opening chapter puts the Batinah in perspective and touches on the region’s history, its mineral and geological wealth and the transition the region has witnessed in a span of just under four decades. “The dhows have been replaced by giant container ships or oil and LNG tankers. The fishermen have swapped the weathered teak hulls of the badans, jalibuts and shuis for similarly shaped glass fibre boats with powerful engines that unload their catch of colourful fish directly on to the beach. The waters of the Gulf are very rich and the fishing has now reached industrial dimensions.”

The authors strike a novel approach to history of the region by saying that the Batinah boasts Oman’s three former capitals — Sohar, Rustaq and Al Hazm. The chapter dwells on these ancient capitals before moving on to talk about Sohar — the industrial port and the industrial capital of the country. The authors elaborate on the three clusters of petrochemicals, metal and logistics and take the reader on a visual tour of practically every unit in the Sohar Industrial Port Area and the Sohar Industrial Estate.

This is the chapter with the pictorial calling cards of some of the well known corporates of the world who have set up base in Sohar. This is also the chapter that informs the newcomer to Sohar about all that has happened in Sohar in the last five years and is continuing to happen. The authors quickly peep into the Sohar University, Oman’s first private university which is now all set to provide all the human resources for the new Sohar. Sohar University is slated to increase its present strength of 4,000 to 10,000 by the year 2010.

Farming and fishing continue to be the mainstay of the region and the authors inform that Batinah’s substantial agricultural production provides 93 per cent of Oman’s needs in dates and fruit and 65 per cent of its needs in vegetables. Batinah also provides the hotspots for tourism and will in December next year host the 2nd Asian Beach Games on the beaches of the region. Ten thousand athletes from 45 countries will descend on the area and participate in eleven disciplines of the Beach Games. The facilities to host the games are coming up at a site in Wudam Al Sahil and Musannah along the Batinah coast.

Regards Batinah moves inland to walk through the sentinels and secret trails of Jabal Akhdar and the towns and villages on its slopes and in its valleys. For the novitiate it is an initiation into the history heritage and culture of Oman: “Nakhl and Al Awabi like Rustaq used to guard the entrance to the wadis which were Oman’s lifeline.

The forts played a defensive role, but also a political, a social and a religious one.” “No invaders could come here and raid their villages which hang on the mountain sides and where the water from the alfaj flowed. They lived there in perfect and self-sufficient isolation.” Regards Batinah highlights lesser known wadis, villages and places of interest. The Lusail copper mines and the marble quarries near Khadra and Haylayn area are a few of these.

“The wadis in Northern Batinah are little known. Some have remained truly authentic,” says the book. The book promises a bonanza if you follow some of the wadi trails that start in Fizh. It says that as you go along there are settlements that have been abandoned as they are far too remote.

In the abandoned houses there are paintings that tell the story of those who built them and about their daily life and the highlights like the story of their pilgrimage to Mecca. “In Maggayl, like in Bat, we feel we have reached the end of the world. But we are in the heart of Batinah, a farming area which for centuries has supplied the ships that stopped in Sohar and the people who lived on the coast and in the mountain.”

The finest advice in the book says: “You do not need to know all the names of the wadis, just go and wander along this ancient world. Share a meal with those who invite you. You are like the old traveller who used to bring news and who was welcomed with the traditional hospitality of the tribes.

Regards Muscat of ten years ago had several black and white pictures, reproductions of William Daniel’s etchings and colourful scenes of Muscat. Regards Batinah has a couple of artist impressions of Sohar in the 9th century, prints of ancient paintings and for the rest is a rich collection of colourful pictures. In April this year the French Embassy showcased a photo exhibition of the Batinah Region by Michel Hetier. Regards Batinah carries the same pictures to great effect. The book is available at Family Bookshop. RO15.

Published in Oman Observer, 3rd June 3009]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=559 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:51:06 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=558
A Field Guide to the Plants of Oman features 250 species of plant with about 550 full-colour images of plants, celebrating the green heritage of the Oman countryside. Authors Dr Helen Pickering and Dr Annette Patzelt have won praise for their commendable work: “This publication is the result of many months of field trips, sleeping under the stars, being stuck in the sand, long treks in the mountains, cuts, bruises and filthy clothes. I hope people will use it to get to understand the beautiful plants of Oman, on their own adventures in the wadis, mountains and deserts of the country,” the authors stated in a joint statement.Dr Helen Pickering, residing in London, is a plant photographer who has previously published a photographic guide to the wild flowers of Mombacho, Nicaragua. Dr Patzelt has lived in Oman for 11 years and is the Senior Botanist at Oman Botanic Garden, An invaluable reference to the flora of Oman, The Field Guide to the Wild Plants of Oman is published by Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK, as part of a series of publications about native plants from around the world.

The main sections cover 250 common species, and each account is enhanced by fascinating colour photographs which enable quick identification. For ease of use, plants are grouped according to the colour of their most conspicuous feature, usually flowers, with additional sections for trees and grasses then organised alphabetically by botanical family. This colour-coded layout makes plant identification easy and descriptions of the plant appearance, habitat, uses and distribution, along with a glossary of botanical terms, provides the reader with an excellent overview of individual species.

The book is distributed in Oman and throughout the region by Al Manahil International. Their director, Maggie Jeans, said; “This book is an invaluable field guide, cleverly colour coded to help the enthusiast identify the wide variety of native plants indigenous to the Sultanate. This knowledge helps to increase our appreciation of the natural environment. There are also plans to produce an Arabic translation of the book which will make the material accessible to a wider audience.”
According to the authors, the country’s main floristic diversity can be found in the Dhofar Governorate, as well as the northern mountains. Nearly half of the flowering plants are annuals that have an ephemeral existence, springing to life after rain. In Dhofar, however, where the monsoon contributes to significant precipitation over the hills, plants bloom during and directly after the season, from August to October. In the northern mountains, where rain occurs mainly during the winter months, flowering takes place generally in the spring, from February to April.

The book also spotlights specific areas supporting a relative abundance of plant life. In the northern Hajar mountains, for examples, the rocky slopes above 2,000 metres are dominated by gnarled juniper and olive trees with associated species. Temperate fruit such as plums, peaches and pomegranates are cultivated on the plateau in Al Jabal al Akhdar range. Between 1,000-2,000 metres, open woodlands have scattered olive, sideroxylon and Dodonea trees and shrubs.

In some scattered coastal areas, mangroves (Avicennia marina) are the dominant species, the book explains. Other key species are nearly all perennial, generally succulent, semi-woody dwarf shrubs or prostrate vines spreading along the beaches. In the gravel plains, the vegetation mainly consists of tree scrub, principally Acacia tortillis and Prosopis cineraria, both of which are an important source of fodder for animals. Plants of the Chenopodiaceae and Zygophyllaceae families, along with some grasses, provide sparse ground cover. In depressions where limited rainfall collects, some annuals germinate.

In the two sand deserts of the Sultanate — the Rimal al Sharqiya (Wahiba Sands) and Rub al Khali (Empty Quarter), vegetation is limited to a few hardy species, such as Euphorbia riebeckii, Tetraena qatarensis and grasses with scattered groups of Prosopis cineraria along wadi channels. Sprouting along roadsides and disturbed areas in inhabited parts of the country are so-called pioneer plants including species of Launaea, Parthenium, Heliotropium, Solanum, Pluchea and other grasses. They usually contribute to the process of soil regeneration, according to the authors.

Oman Daily Observer, 10th June 2009]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=558 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:33:47 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=471 Recent weeks saw a big rush of Omani tourists thronging the place. With school holidays currently on in the UAE, the place was teeming with UAE and Saudi vehicles.

According to Satish Chandrasekhar, general manager of Jabal Al Akhdar hotel, the only hotel on the mountaintop, “since summer is a peak season a stream of Omani and UAE nationals made it to Jabal Akhdar to relish the spectacular scenery and salubrious weather. After the completion of the mountain road and the withdrawal of permits, locals and expatriates are converging on the breathtaking Jabal Akhdar like never before.”

Satish claimed that his hotel had 85 per cent occupancy rate during this summer.

“During summer mostly locals and tourists from AGCC countries flock the place while for foreigners the season starts from September until April,” he added.

Satish attributed the upsurge in tourists to the Ministry of Tourism which is evincing keen interest in upgrading the tourism facilities in Jabal Al Akhdar. Tourism is in for a major changeover. The ministry’s action plan for the development of tourism in Jabal Akhdar highlights the need for improvement of facilities at sightseeing places in the region. Two major projects are coming up — eight canopied huts for tourists to sit and enjoy the scenes and provision of toilet facilities.

Another hotel near the Diana Point (this is the place where Princess Diana stayed when she visited the mountains) is getting ready. There are also furnished apartments which offer basic amenities to tourists.

Saeed Al Hoqqani, a Saudi tourist, who was spotted at one of the pomegranate orchards, wants the government and tour operators to organise trips to the farms, like the ones in Wadi Habib, Saiq village, which practise terraced farming in the Jabals, to the tourists. There is also abundant scope for adventure and nature tourism in the hills as some trekking routes have already been identified. There is also ample scope for promoting cultural and village tourism given the unique nature of the indigenous communities inhabiting the hills.

September is an ideal month to visit Jabal Akhdar as pomegranates and walnuts adorn the trees here.

In August, the trees bloom with figs, nectarines, pears, etc.

So, what are you waiting for? Arm your four-wheel drive (a must to travel to Jabal Al Akhdar) and head to the hills to savour the scenery and the exotic fruits.

Times of Oman, August 9th 2008]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=471 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:25:24 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=470
Khwars (creeks), which abound the entire coast around this region, are home to a variety of the avian species. Khawr Sawli and Khawr Taqah are two spots where you will find a great variety of birds.

Get back to the highway to proceed to Mirbat, a charming fishing town. To go further to Mirbat one returns to the highway and heads east.

From Taqah on the way to Mirbat you reach the Gravity Point where your vehicle will be pulled uphill even if you switch off its engine. Switch off your car engine, release the breaks and your car starts to move uphill for about 200 metres, seemingly defying the laws of gravity.

Even our Omani mini bus driver was baffled. To reach this point you need to take a left turn after Taqah on the way to Mirbat.

At the entrance of Mirbat town the Mirbat fort sits all by itself on the edge of a small bay, overseeing the endless horizon of its waters. In its hey days, it served as a sentinel to the town. The cannons of the fort stand just a few feet above sea level resting on the low walls overlooking the sea.

Constructed in the 19th century, the fort was the stronghold of the previous rulers of Oman and was used during the time of Sultan Turki bin Said, Sultan Faisal bin Turki, Sultan bin Taimur and Sultan Said bin Taimur. This fort played a defensive and administrative role throughout history.

Next to the fort is a big mosque on whose neighbourhood are a few very old, traditional houses. The windows of the houses are fitted with screens and are framed with pointed arches.

Go further to the other side of the bay and you will find fishing boats either drifting in the waters or anchored at the cemented shore. You can soak in the surreal ambience!

Outside the town on a hillock is the shrine of Mohammed bin Ali who is described as a man of piety. He established a madrasa (religious seminary) in Mirbat, and died in the year 1161.

Mirbat and its environs also provide good opportunities for watching different species of sea birds. Several varieties of sea birds like petrels, shearwater and the cormorants can be seen at Ras Mirbat and at Ras Janjari located 12 kilometres away from the town.

So, when you are in Dhofar, never miss out on Mirbat.

Times of Oman, August 2nd 2008]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=470 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:14:06 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=329 here's the link to a blank outline map of Oman.]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=329 Sun, 6 May 2007 11:24:31 -0400 http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=280
Venturing into the living vastness
The urge to explore the mysterious landscape is all too tempting for many, but the desert can be a challenge even for the experienced off-roader.

By Zoi Constantine and Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporters, Gulf News UAE, 30th December 2006

Dubai: Stunning, tranquil, mysterious and ever-changing. These are just some of the ways in which the UAE's vast expanses of desert have been described by those who prefer to spend their time navigating through sand dunes and sleeping under the stars.

Click here to see the map of popular desert areas in the UAE (pdf) (ed. visit the link to access the map)

However, while the urge to explore this unique, mysterious landscape is all too tempting for some, the desert can often be a challenge even for experienced off-roaders.

This hard truth was all too evident in May of this year, when the desert proved just how unpredictable an environment it can be. Two Ukrainian men were found dead after being lost for 20 hours near Ras Al Khaimah. et seq.
]]> General Sue Hutton http://www.newsbriefsoman.info/features.phpindex.php?itemid=280 Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:33:13 -0400