Experts have argued that Pakistan is home to more land suitable for olive growth than Spain. The latter country is currently the largest olive producer in the world. However, it could soon be left behind as Pakistan’s plans for cultivation develop.
Pakistan’s primary source of income is its fertile agricultural industry. It is now paying more attention to the olive growth trade to create a more substantial amount of revenue and help the country’s economy to re-build itself.
Agriculture expert Kamal Haider said: “Every year Pakistan imports over $2 billion worth of edible oil”. He also claimed that the country’s farmers are now discreetly planting olive branches in contribution to a silent revolution which is underway. The result will hopefully be billions of imports of cooking oil.
As part of a tree-planting campaign last year, approximately 120,000 olive trees were rooted in the Pakistani province of Balochistan last year. Half of these had been imported from Italy and in total; the plantation area covered 14,000 square acres.
Before this, the Punjabi Government launched an initiative to convert Pothohar into an olive valley in 2015-16. Since then, one million olive trees have started growing in the area, and 750 farmers have reaped the rewards of the project.
The Olive tree has been named as a beneficial crop in Pakistan as there are limited water sources in some of its regions. The plant also helps to mitigate climate change and battle the effects of global warming.
Pakistan has 3.5 hectors of land suited to olive tree growth, in comparison to Spain’s 2.4 million, which is a smaller country overall. Officials hope the new scheme will put the Asian country on the map for edible oil-exportation, and raise revenue for poor farmers.
By Manisha Bhanot
