Olive development project launched

LAHORE

Agha Waqar Javaid, member Punjab Planning & Development Board, has said agriculture is one of the priority development sectors of the Punjab government and the government is fulfilling its commitments with all areas of agriculture, especially the interest of farmers. 

He was addressing a launching report titled “Market Analysis for Value Chain & Olive Oil Consumption in Pakistan” jointly organised by Punjab Economic Research Institute (PERI) of Planning and Development Department in collaboration with Italian Government & Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Wednesday. 

“Olive sector has numerous potential in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab. The Punjab government was very much enthusiastic to promote olive sector development. Punjab government has recently launched an olive development project in Pothohar region. In this connection, the government was soliciting the support of private & corporate sector to join hands to promote olive oil extraction on economic basis. Findings of this study would help to promote Public Private Partnership (PPP) in olive sector development, the P&D member said. 

Addressing the ceremony, Dr Mumtaz Anwar, Director PERI, said the institute was contributing towards policymaking through evidence based researches.

“This study report was one of its kind in the field of agriculture sector to focus on Market Analysis for olive sector development. Punjab P&D department was continuously providing support for undertaking such sort of research studies, he said. 

Earlier, Dr Awais Tahir, Chief of Research, PERI while giving presentation on the report explained: “Our local olive has enormous potential if the private sector may involve with public sector in processing and extraction of olive oil. This study conducted in collaboration with Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and Italian Government. As it is emerging sector having a lot of potential and opportunities, so this is high time when we may improve all tiers of supply chain and value addition products, so that we may get comparative advantage of domestic olive industry having competitive/ internationally at par prices and quality of olive/ oil products. In view of importance of olive for health purpose, olive demand is on the rise globally. In Pakistan, the demand and consumption of olive oil is also increasing. Currently our major demand is being met by importing from various countries like Italy, Spain etc. Pakistan has potential for its production as well as extraction of olive oil for consumption. Pakistan has 15.44 million hectares of suitable area for Olive cultivation located in Pothwar Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and FATA.”

In the ceremony, representatives of Italian government Dr Luciano Leonetti and Stefano Valle elaborated current sectorial analyses carried out by Italy’s bilateral cooperation in Pakistan in the area of olive-trees cultivation strategies and methodologies, and olive-oil value chain. 

Dr Muhammad Abid, DG Research, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad, Dr Muhammad Tariq, Director, Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, Dr Umar Farooq, member Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), DG, ABAD, P&D, Farooq Hameed and representatives of departments concerned attended the ceremony.