Experts encourage olive cultivation

1.2m trees planted in Pothohar region

LAHORE:

Experts said that the government, by cultivating olives over an available area of about 10 million acres in Punjab, is bringing about a silent revolution for the sustainable development of the country. With a considerable increase in the area under potential cultivation, Pakistan is passing through a silent revolution of olive oil production, they opined.

Talking to the media on Sunday, they said that in all parts of the country, particularly the Pothohar region, olive cultivation is most suitable. Pothohar has been termed an ‘olive valley,’ where over 1.2 million olive plants are being grown over an area of 11,125 acres, engaging about 1,300 farmers, said national project director for the promotion of olive cultivation Dr Muhammad Tariq.

Over half the plants have started bearing fruit since 2019-20’s cropping period, producing 5,118 tonnes of olive oil. By the autumn of 2024, the value of oil olive production will increase to Rs1.727 billion, he said. The value of oil by 2024 is expected to be Rs71 million, he told.

To a query, he said that in 2024, the country will have about 3m fruit-bearing olive plants producing roughly 1,415 tonnes of olive oil, with an estimated value of Rs4.416bn. The climate change ministry also plans to plant 1m olive plants. Edible oil is a daily use food item and Pakistan has been chronically deficient in its production. Over 80 percent of domestic requirements are met through imports, he added.

Dr Waqas Cheema, a scientific officer at Promotion of Olive cultivation project, told the media that over 1.5 million olive plants have already been planted under the Promotion of Olive cultivation project Phase-II. This initiative would help strengthen the national efforts to enhance the output of domestic edible oil for reducing the reliance on the imported commodity as well as to save much-needed foreign exchange, he said.

PSDP sources told APP that despite running short of funds, they have cultivated olives over 1,100 acres of land. Special focus is given to the grafting of already present 5 million wild olives after detailed survey and study and make it a fruitful economic asset for the farmers and country.

Moreover, water saving technology such as Drip Irrigation System is also being implemented at olive plantations in areas with low water deltas. The project has remained ongoing in the country for the last decade, yet there are certain missing links or spaces in the value chain of olive sector. It is pertinent to mention that the government has imparted training through 47 training programmes to around 2,800 farmers and olive stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the government, in collaboration with other stakeholders and provincial governments, will graft over 2 million wild olive trees, he said, adding that wild olive trees over millions of acres were an untapped potential.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2024.