National olive festival to be held on Nov 12

Farmers, service providers will have opportunity to explore olive sector development

RAWALPINDI:

To promote olive cultivation and to boost olive oil production in Pakistan, the National Olive Festival will be held on November 12.

Barani Agriculture Research Institute Director Muhammad Rafiq Dogar told APP that the government was striving to promote olive cultivation at large scale to meet the country’s edible oil needs.

The Center of Excellence for Olive Research and Training, BARI, Chakwal and the Promotion of Olive Cultivation on Commercial Scale in Pakistan (Phase II) are going to organise a national olive festival at National Agriculture Research Center Park Road, Islamabad which would help develop the sector and promote olive cultivation.

Farmers, processors, service providers will attend the event. They would be provided an opportunity to explore olive sector development in Pakistan, said Dogar.

Regarding the development of olives in Pakistan, National Project for Olive Promotion Project Director Dr Muhammad Tariq said that all-out efforts were being made to make Pakistan self-sufficient in olive oil production and soon Pakistan would become a member of International Olive Council. He said that earnest efforts were being made to make Pakistan self-sufficient in olive oil production.

Dr Tariq expressed the hope that in the upcoming meeting, Pakistan would fulfill the required criteria to become a member of IOC. He said once Pakistan becomes a member state, it would be able to avail facilities provided by the IOC, including installing oil extraction units in the country. The quality of Pakistan’s oil was one of the best in the world, he added.

After getting the membership, Pakistan would get a certification of oil that would help win the trust of the world market, he said, adding that after approval for the membership, the council would provide support to Pakistan at all levels.

The Council would play a role in introducing Pakistan’s olive oil and its products internationally and would help in exporting olive oil, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2021.