Plans to nurture olive valley in motion
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Nadir Chattha announced that practical steps were being taken to transform the Potohar region into an olive valley in the truest sense. Chairing a meeting on Friday, he said that a plan was being prepared for olive cultivation over another 5,000 acres in the Potohar region.
In addition to this, a plan to construct 10 modern extraction plants for olive oil was under consideration, he said. The Secretary said that these plants could extract oil from 300 kilogrammes of olives within one hour.
These modern oil extraction plants are expected to produce high quality oil that meets international standards. By importing modern extraction plants, the farmers of Potohar Oil Development Zone would be able to get full benefit, he added.
Read Behind Hazara division’s olive boom
During the meeting, Secretary Chattha tasked the relevant formations and officials to conduct a thorough survey of olive groves in the Potohar region. The secretary was informed that a complete survey of the total number of olive plants in the field was currently ongoing.
As a result of the survey, information about the average age and yield of olive plants would be available and growers would be able to get information about the olives.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2024.