Governor Shah Farman stresses olive plant growing, honeybee farming

PESHAWAR: Governor Shah Farman has stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa land is fertile for growing olive plants and Sidr trees which could enable us to produce export quality olive oil and honey.

He said this while presiding over a meeting here at the Governor’s House on Thursday about the olive growing and tree plantation in the province in line with the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, said an official handout.

Provincial Minister for Forests and Environment Ishtiaq Urmar, secretary of Agriculture Department, Principal Secretary to Governor Muhammad Idrees and other relevant officials attended the meeting. The governor directed Agriculture and Forest departments to formulate and present a comprehensive practical action plan for increasing the production of olive and Billion Tree plantation drive for honey farming.

Shah Farman directed that maximum exploitation of wild olive trees through grafting. He said prospects of existing forest regeneration should be explored through olive plants, adding specific species of plants should be promoted in existing barren lands for honey farming.

The governor stressed the involvement of local people in projects through intelligent schemes for the socio-economic welfare of the masses. It was decided that the responsibility for the cultivation, maintenance of olive and Sidr tree growing would be borne out by the Forest and the Agriculture departments.