ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, has said that Pakistan has become a full member of the International Olive Council (IOC), which will enable Pakistani olive oil to be graded under international standards.
The Instrument of Accession to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015, was signed at the IOC Headquarters in Madrid by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr. Zahoor Ahmed, in the presence of IOC Executive Director Jaime Lillo. The signed instrument will now be deposited with the United Nations Treaty Section, completing the formal treaty process. Pakistan is expected to participate as a full member in the 123rd Session of the IOC Council of Members in June 2026.
He said that IOC membership will enable Pakistani olive oil and table olives to be graded under internationally recognized standards, paving the way for Pakistani Extra Virgin Olive Oil to enter high-value markets in Europe, the Gulf region, North America, and East Asia with greater credibility and reduced trade barriers.
According to a statement issued here on Tuesday, the membership will also provide Pakistani farmers, millers, and researchers opportunities for technical training, international exchange programs, scholarships, and collaborative research initiatives with leading institutions, including CIHEAM Zaragoza, the University of Jaén, the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and the Olive Health Information System.
He said Pakistani olive producers will now become eligible to participate in prestigious international competitions, including the globally recognized Mario Solinas Quality Award, strengthening Pakistan’s international branding and export potential in the olive sector.
“Today, Pakistan takes its rightful place at the global olive table. This achievement reflects the vision, commitment, and hard work of the Government of Pakistan and thousands of hardworking olive farmers across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pothohar, Sindh, and AJK. IOC membership is not merely symbolic; it is a strategic milestone that will help transform olive cultivation into a major pillar of edible oil self-sufficiency, rural prosperity, climate resilience, and high-value agricultural exports. Pakistani olive oil now has the opportunity to compete with the finest olive oils in the world.”
He said that Pakistan has identified more than 4.4 million hectares of land suitable for olive cultivation across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab’s Pothohar region, Sindh, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Under the initiatives of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, large-scale olive plantations, nurseries, extraction units, and farmer training programs have been established across the country to promote olive cultivation as a sustainable and climate-resilient crop.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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