ISLAMABAD: The government has set a target to cultivate olive plants over 75,000 hectares to further cement its efforts to reduce the reliance on imported edible oil by untapping the existing potential of oil seeds production across the country, particularly strengthening the rural economy with the promotion of high-value crops.
Under second-phase of Cultivation of Olive on Commercial Scale project, the government was intended to cultivate about 10 million olive plants in next three years as all set objectives of the program was achieved and was on track from 2018, said National Project Director Dr. Muhammad Tariq.
Talking to reporter here on Thursday, he said that the second phase would be initiated by the next month (September) as so far olive has been cultivated over 34,000 hectares and Pakistan was also recognized by the International Olive Council and become observer member country of the council.
The second phase of the project focuses on gender and youth involvement and special programs were designed to impart training to them for establishing nurseries and value addition units to create job opportunities for educated, skilled and sami-skilled work force, particularly in rural areas in the country, he added.
He said that government would also provide matching grant of 50 percent for the installation of value added units to encourage olive cultivation and production, adding that it will help the government in its efforts to provide livelihood opportunities to growing work force of the country.
Dr. Tariq further informed that besides provision of matching grants for value addition plants, the government would also provide technical assistance to olive growers and provide branding and marketing training to introduce the product in local markets as well as abroad.
Besides olive plantation, the grafting of wild olive was also incorporated in second phase, he said adding that about 10 million wild olive trees would turn into olive by grafting about 10 million trees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which would help to enhance local output of olive oil and its by products.
In order to facilitate the local olive farmers, about 24 oil extraction units have been installed in collaboration with private sector in different location that were providing extraction facility, he said adding that 10 more units would also be installed under the second phase of the project.
He further informed that government was also organizing different training programs and awareness sessions to encourage the farmers for growing olive and other oil seeds to maximize their income and reducing the reliance on imported edible oil and vegetable ghee, which was putting pressure on our foreign exchange reserves.