Detail

Pakistan

Oilseeds, oils and meals

Olive tree

01/05/2018

Production

Sector development measures

Continued pursuing efforts to promote olive cultivation in different parts of the country, including free-of-charge distribution and planting of saplings, as well as access to subsidies and training.

Public efforts to promote olive tree cultivation continue to be pursued in different parts of the country under the oversight of Pakistan’s Agricultural Research Council (see MPPU Oct.’15 & Feb./Sep.’16). In Punjab province, free-of-charge distribution of saplings is continuing in the Pothohar Plateau and the local government has confirmed its target of planting 2.4 million trees by 2020. Eligible growers are given access to subsidies and training programmes. Elsewhere, in Balochistan, 120 000 trees are being planted, with olive plantations expected to cover an area of approximately 5 700 hectares, while, in Gilgit-Baltistan, government officials announced plans to plant three million olive trees as part of an environmental conservation project. These and parallel initiatives concerning rapeseed, sunflowerseed and oil palm, are all aimed at lowering the country’s dependence on vegetable oil imports.