Pakistan has set targets for olive oil production by 2030

The Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC) recently held a webinar focusing on 'Good Agricultural Practices of Olive for High Yield and Good Quality', aiming to boost Pakistan's olive cultivation industry. With a focus on exploring the potential of olive farming in regions like Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, which collectively cover 10 million acres suitable for olive cultivation (doubling Spain's Olive-growing potential), the webinar highlighted the country's current production of 861 tons of table olives annually and an ambitious target to produce 4,600 tons of olive oil by 2030 to reduce imports.

The event, graced by Dr Muhammad Azhar Iqbal, Deputy Project Director of the Centre of Excellence for Olive Research and Training, addressed various challenges such as the scarcity of olive saplings, inadequate agronomic practices, insufficient crop research, pre- and post-harvest issues, and the absence of oil extraction facilities, which have hindered the industry's growth. It emphasized the importance of adopting modern production techniques, improving knowledge among growers, and urging the government to invest in oil extraction facilities across olive-producing regions to overcome these obstacles and increase olive oil production efficiently. The webinar attracted a diverse range of participants, including growers, processors, exporters, researchers, and academic representatives, underscoring the significance of this initiative in bolstering Pakistan's agricultural sector.