Plan to promote olive cultivation in Punjab

SIALKOT: A well-knit plan has been prepared for olive cultivation in Punjab and Azad Kashmir.

Official sources told APP here Sunday that Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Jehlum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Chakwal and Khushab districts were potential areas for olive cultivation in Punjab.

Olive cultivation in the potential areas of Punjab can produce a large quantity of oil which may bring Pakistan's olive oil imports to zero, the expert said.

There is a vast potential for olive cultivation in Pakistan which can be adopted by new plantation and grafting available wild varieties. According to research by Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal, the prevailing environment, minimum/maximum temperature, soil types, average rainfall and other related growth factors in Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Jehlum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Chakwal and Khushab areas are according to olive cultivation requirements.

In this context, agriculture department of SMEDA Punjab is holding awareness and training programmes on olive cultivation techniques and produce value added products. Marginal lands could be used for olive cultivation without replacing other crops and it will help reduce the import bill of the country.