The prime minister said that olive fruit produced edible oil of high nutritional value, which could also be used to meet local demand besides its export.
He said Pakistan had more potential than Spain, the leading olive producer in the world, and could explore possibilities with effective strategy for olive cultivation.
The country, he said, was blessed with 12 climatic zones and diverse landscape and stressed the need for promoting planting a variety of crops and fruit.
Mr Khan said that olive had also been mentioned in the holy Quran for several times which enhanced relevance and significance of this wonder fruit.
March 16, 2021
NOWSHERA/ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that the olive plantation would prove the best investment for Pakistan in terms of earning valuable foreign exchange and ensuring food security.
Launching the olive plantation drive in Amangarh in Nowshera district, he said the country had immense potential for plantation of olive trees owing to suitable topography and climate from north to south.
He was accompanied by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Special Assistant on Climate Change Amin Aslam and others. Over 7,500 olive saplings are being planted at Nowshera as part of the initiative to promote olives cultivation and help save foreign exchange.
PESHAWAR, Mar. 16 (Gwadar Pro) - Pakistan has immense potential of olive plantation due to availability of land and favourable environment in the country. If olives are planted on Pakistan’s arable land, the country could become one of the world’s leading olive oil producers and exporters.
China could be one of the potential markets for Pakistani olive production in the future, which could also help reduce the trade deficit between the two countries, according to experts. Currently, Olive brands from Spain and Italy are highly recognized in the Chinese markets.
The government of Pakistan is increasing olive cultivation in the country. Olive plantation under ‘10 Billion Tsunami Tree’ initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government is one of such projects aiming to increase olive products, reduce the impacts of climate change and to support poverty alleviation.
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March 16, 2021
NOWSHERA: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday large scale olive cultivation would prove a best investment for Pakistan in terms of earning valuable foreign exchange as well as ensuring food security.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of countrywide olive cultivation drive starting from Nowshera district, the Prime Minister said the country had immense potential to cultivate olive trees owing to suitable topography and climate from north to south.
He mentioned that water scarce areas such as Sulaiman Mountains near Waziristan, Balochistan’s plains and Punjab’s diverse terrain offered suitable environment for low-irrigation olive farming.
Khan said the olive fruit produced edible oil of high nutritional value, which could also be used to meet local demands, besides its export.
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