Olive cultivation scheme on the cards

Punjab Agriculture Department has planned to plant new olive groves on an additional 5,000 acres in the Potohar region.

The government will import 10 modern oil extraction plants and distribute them among farmers and service providers.

Punjab Agriculture Secretary Nadir Chattha gave the directives while presiding over a high-level meeting held regarding the increase in cultivated area and production of olives.

Growers and service providers will be facilitated in this regard.

“Practical measures are being adopted to transform the Potohar region into an olive valley in the real sense,” Secretary Chattha said while presiding over the meeting held to enhance olive cultivation and production.

Apart from this, a plan to provide 10 new extraction plants for olive oil extraction was under consideration, he said adding that these oil extraction plants would have the capacity to extract oil at the rate of 300kg per hour and ensure high quality.

Nadir further said modern oil extraction plants would produce high-quality oil that would be of international standards.

The secretary assigned the task to the relevant formations to conduct a complete survey of olive orchards in the Potohar region.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2024.