Islamabad The third annual National Olive Festival was held at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC).
The olive festival was organised under the Pak Olive Project executed by National Agricultural Research Centre Islamabad and Barani Agricultural Research Institute Chakwal.
The National Olive Festival was attended by a large number of Spanish ambassadors, Commercial Attaches and Tanzanian Ambassador Burhani Alkamal, agricultural scientists researching olives, olive growers and manufacturers of olive products. Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali graced the occasion as the chief guest.
On this occasion, he inaugurated the National Olive Festival. Addressing the inaugural function, he said that the present government is working to increase the production of oil products. Pakistan spends over Rs350 billion annually on the import of edible oil. Promoting olive cultivation will reduce this bill. He added that holding the National Olive Festival would help in the promotion of olive fruit and its products.
On the occasion, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, chief scientist / director general of Agriculture (Research), Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, said that cultivation of olives is not only increasing employment opportunities but it is also playing an important role in preventing land erosion.