The food ministry is considering restoration of its Palm Oil Trees cultivation project along Pakistan’s coastal belt in a bid to satisfy the surging demand for edible oil domestically and save precious foreign exchange on expensive imports.
Pakistan imported Rs24.5 billion worth of edible oil in June 2012, according to the latest figures available on Pakistan Bureau of Statistics website.
Pakistan Oilseed Development Board Managing Director Syed Nasir Ali Shah recently held a meeting with stakeholders to evolve a joint strategy for increasing the oilseed production in the country. One of the measures proposed was plantation of palm oil trees along the coastal belt.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2012.
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I think the Malaysians and Indonesians have palm oil production pretty much covered. We don't need to get into this business. We should focus on producing things in which we have a comparative advantage.
One of the measures proposed was plantation of palm oil trees along the coastal belt. A sure recipie for disaster for next generations. Body can not metabolise palm oil. It is widely used in food processing industry as it has a very long shelf life. This policy will lead to a large number of metabolic diseases patient leading to stress on the health sector and poor outcome in various human indicies. Why not grow canola? Picyure is of Olive oil but the story is on Palm oil.