Qat tops agricultural products [Archives:2005/901/Local News]

SANA'A- Dec.7- According to the Central Organization for Statistics, 311 billion and 611 million Riyals is the value of the domestic agricultural production for the agricultural season 2005 with a net worth estimated at 29 billion and 117 million Riyals, representing a growth of 24% comparing to 2004.

The agricultural crops mentioned accounted for are six kinds: Qat, grains, vegetables, grasses, cash crops and fruits. Statistics revealed that Qat tops the list of the agricultural production as 127 billion Riyals is the net worth value of the Qat produced in 2005 recording a 12% growth rate, while fruits such as dates, bananas, grapes and orange stood second in the list.

According to these statistics, sale of oranges was the highest among fruits with a value of 24.8 billion Riyals while all other fruits combined accounted for 18.4 billion Riyals.

Similarly, the value of vegetable sales rose to 49 billion and 654 million Riyals with an increase of 4 billion Riyals compared to 2004. Potatoes and tomatoes ranked first and second on the list of vegetables sales.

Regarding grains, white corn tops the list of locally produced grains reaching a value of 16.6 billion Riyals, followed by legumes production which was worth 6.4 billion Riyals and millet with a value of 2.2 billion Riyals.

However, Large quantities of agricultural products are expected to be destroyed this year because of frost and expected temperature drop according to reports by the General Authority for Meteorology.
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