Saturday 03 / October / 2026
Muscat: A partnership between the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, represented by Invest Oman, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources has resulted in the localisation of 12 projects with a total investment value of OMR97.413 million, as well as the development of 13 investment opportunities worth OMR122.849 million, which have been offered to investors through the Invest Oman platform.
The cooperation between the two entities has moved from identifying sectoral potential and needs to developing and localising projects and structuring integrated investment opportunities based on clear resources and enablers. This strengthens the role of investment in supporting food security, developing local value chains and increasing the contribution of productive sectors to the national economy, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 for economic diversification, developing priority sectors and improving the efficiency of investing national resources.
This model provides a foundation for expanding partnerships with various government entities to develop more investment opportunities related to their areas of responsibility and present them to investors.
Dr. Masoud bin Sulaiman Al Azri, Director General of Agricultural and Fisheries Marketing at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, said that cooperation with Invest Oman has been characterised by flexibility, ease of coordination and prompt response, which has contributed to more effectively transforming sectoral needs and resources into projects and investment opportunities.
Speaking to the Oman News Agency (ONA), he explained that integration between the two entities enables each party to utilise its expertise and responsibilities throughout the various stages of developing projects and opportunities. He affirmed that the results achieved demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach and the importance of continuing and expanding it to include new areas and opportunities in the agricultural, fisheries and food sectors. He expressed his aspiration to continue the cooperation in a manner that contributes to developing more high-quality projects and attracting investments that support the growth of these sectors and enhance their contribution to the national economy.
Eng. Nasser bin Khalifa Al Kindi, CEO of Invest Oman, said that the results achieved through cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources highlight the importance of integrating sector-specific expertise with investment expertise in developing projects and opportunities linked to the actual resources and needs of the sectors.
He affirmed that the localisation of 12 projects and the structuring of 13 investment opportunities represent tangible outcomes of this integration, contributing to the development of a more diversified investment portfolio aligned with the priorities of the national economy.
Speaking to ONA, he explained that Invest Oman continues to work with government entities to develop high-quality investment opportunities, enhance project readiness and facilitate access to suitable investors.
He noted that the food industries and food security sector includes 12 localised projects with a total investment value of RO97.413 million, distributed across several governorates and economic locations in the Sultanate of Oman. Key projects include the Meat City project in Salalah, Dhofar Governorate, with an investment of OMR27 million; a food products factory in Khazaen Economic City with an investment of OMR14 million; and the Green Charcoal project on agricultural and fisheries lands, with an investment value of OMR16 million.
The projects also include the Sohar Food Products and Beverages Factory in Khazaen Economic City, with an investment of OMR7.7 million; a pet food factory in Salalah Free Zone, with an investment of OMR3.465 million; the Taj Al Bahr aquaculture project in Quriyat, Muscat Governorate, valued at OMR1.7 million; a date palm cultivation project on agricultural and fisheries lands valued at OMR1.342 million; a wheat cultivation project valued at OMR1.205 million; the Honeybee Museum in Barka, South Al Batinah Governorate, valued at OMR1.2 million; and an agricultural gypsum factory in Al Khaboura, North Al Batinah Governorate, valued at OMR1 million.
He pointed out that these projects reflect the diversity of investments in the food industries and food security sectors and support the development of local value chains and the food security system in the Sultanate of Oman.
Dr. Hamdan bin Salem Al Wahibi, Director General of Agricultural Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, said that the localisation of these projects reflects a drive to invest in available agricultural resources and develop related productive activities, thereby enhancing local production and supporting the development of agricultural value chains.
He added that these projects also represent an important step towards transforming agricultural potential into economic and investment activities that contribute to diversifying production, increasing added value and creating more opportunities for quality investment in the agricultural sector.
He said that 13 investment opportunities are available on the Invest Oman platform in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, with a total investment value of approximately OMR122.849 million. The opportunities cover food security, agriculture, fisheries industries and fisheries resources.
He noted that six investment opportunities are located in the Najd Agricultural Area in Al Mazyunah, Dhofar Governorate. These include a livestock fattening and dairy production project valued at OMR4.449 million; a melon cultivation project valued at OMR2.1 million; a greenhouse leafy vegetable cultivation project valued at OMR1.6 million; an onion cultivation and processing project valued at OMR4.8 million; a garlic cultivation project valued at OMR2.3 million; and a potato cultivation and processing project valued at OMR5.5 million.
The opportunities also include a Smart Agricultural Complex in Quriyat, Muscat Governorate, with an investment value of approximately OMR17 million; a marine aquaculture equipment factory in Duqm, Al Wusta Governorate, within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD), valued at OMR6.2 million; an integrated industrial complex for manufacturing fishing equipment in Duqm, Al Wusta Governorate, at Duqm Port, valued at OMR7.2 million; a tuna fattening project using floating cages in Quriyat, Muscat Governorate, valued at OMR4.7 million; an Omani abalone aquaculture project in Shalim and the Hallaniyat Islands, Dhofar Governorate, valued at OMR10 million; a giant shrimp aquaculture project in Ras Madrakah, Al Wusta Governorate, valued at OMR32 million; and a whiteleg shrimp aquaculture project in Ras Sarq, Jalan Bani Bu Ali, South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, valued at OMR25 million.
Dr. Abdulaziz bin Said Al Marzouqi, Director General of Fisheries Resources Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, said that the investment opportunities offered in the fisheries sector reflect the diversity of resources and potential that can be developed into value-added economic activities, including aquaculture and related industries and services.
He noted that the diversity of projects in terms of activities, locations and investment values creates broader opportunities for investment in the sector, while supporting the development of its resources and increasing its contribution to the national economy in a sustainable manner.
Rawaa bint Mohammed Al Lawatiya, Investor Relations Specialist and Head of the Support Team at Invest Oman, explained that the joint working mechanism with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources is based on the integration of roles. The Ministry identifies resources, needs and priority projects based on its mandate and sectoral expertise, while Invest Oman develops these resources into structured investment opportunities according to investor requirements, including identifying the activity, location, investment value and available enablers, before presenting them to investors.
She said that this integration provides mutual benefits to both entities, enabling the Ministry to broaden its investor base and attract investments aligned with the sector’s needs, while providing Invest Oman with more specialised investment opportunities linked to the actual needs of various sectors.
She affirmed that continuing this approach would contribute to developing a more diversified portfolio of investment opportunities and enhancing the efficiency of attracting investment to priority sectors.
