Pakistan to boost olive farming with arrival of 100,000 plants from Spain, Turkey
The move is part of a project to promote cultivation of olive on commercial basis in the country.
(Web Desk) - Olive farming in Pakistan has received a strong boost with the arrival of 100,000 olive plants from Spain and Turkey.
The move is part of a project to promote cultivation of olive on commercial basis in the country.
A total of 550,000 plants will be imported under the project which is being implemented by the National Agricultural Centre.
The project for the promotion of cultivation of olive on commercial basis has been approved under the Public Sector Development.
Project Director Dr Tariq Bari said that a survey of the potential areas had been completed and it was found that these areas were best suited for olive plantation.
The olive cultivation will not only offer an ‘olive branch’ to peace in Fata, but will also serve as a source for livelihood of farmers in the entire Waziristan belt and agencies of Fata.
In Balochistan, the potential areas found suitable for olive cultivation were Zhob, Khuzdar, Loralai, Kila Saifullah and Musa Khel.
In some of these areas, results of growing olive crop have been encouraging that prompted project officials to include Balochistan in the programme.
It has been decided to install drip irrigation to olive plants on 400 acres of land in Khyber-Pakhtu¬nkhwa and Balochistan.
