ISLAMABAD: A grand ‘National Olive Gala’ opening at F-9 Park in Islamabad on Friday will mark the ‘World Olive Day’, which spotlights the cultural, environmental, and economic significance of the olive tree.

This year’s celebration is particularly special as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, emphasising the vital role of olive products in promoting health, sustainability and cultural heritage.

Unesco says the olive tree, specifically the olive branch, holds an important place in the minds of men and women. Since ancient times, it has symbolised peace, wisdom and harmony and as such is important not just to the countries where these noble trees grow, but to people and communities around the world.

The two-day olive gala is an opportunity to promote the olive sector in Pakistan by olive cultivation on commercial scale. During the gala, 20 progressive farmers will be given awards in recognition of their efforts to promote olive cultivation in Pakistan.

Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, the ambassador of Italy and the president of National Bank of Pakistan will be the main speakers at the annual observance of the olive day.

Pakistan is net importer of a number of items out of which palm oil (edible oil) is on the top of the list, resulting in increased import bill of the country. Due to high consumption – 24kg per person per annum – and very low edible oil production, Pakistan is importing oilseeds and oil worth $4.5 billion every year. At present, import of edible oil ranked as the second largest after petroleum products.

The country has more than four million hectares of culture-able waste land most of which is suitable for olive being a crop which is less hydrophilic, can be grown on marginal undulated land and can mitigate climate change phenomenon.

Pakistan has also the vast reserves of millions of wild olive trees which are a potential source for future interventions. Pakistan olive sector is now inching closer to the membership of the international olive council and sector regularisation, public private interventions, and other related aspects.

Total olive plantation in the country is spreading in about 51,079 acres (Punjab 16,556 acres; Balochistan 17,000; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 13,994; Islamabad Capital Territory 964; Azad Jammu and Kashmir 1241 acres; Sindh 767 acres, and Gilgit-Baltistan 557 acres) under different public sector development programme and annual development plan foreign-funded projects. It is estimated that about 10 per cent plants are at fruiting stage up till now.

Around 110 tonnes olive oil and 40 tonnes fruit was value-added, generating an economic activity of about Rs300 million during the year 2022-23, which has resulted in creation of jobs in resource poor rural areas, development of various startups, entrepreneurs exuding health benefit and mitigation and adaptation of changing climate.

In the recent past, Pakistan has been importing olive nursery plants from different countries involving foreign exchange and higher per plant cost. Pakistan has now become self-sufficient in producing certified local olive nursery plants with the establishment and strengthening of eight registered public and private sector nurseries.

Fourteen double shaded nursery tunnels have been installed in Punjab, KP and Balochistan, while more than 55 olive nursery management training sessions have been arranged for nursery-men in the country. In addition, modern techniques of nursery raising are also being demonstrated under the ‘Olive PSDP’ project.

As olive is the new crop in Pakistan, 13 mother blocks comprising promising olive varieties and 68 adaptability trails were set up at different agro-ecological locations to ascertain the olive suitability in target areas and to get true type and disease free nursery material for further olive propagation.

Moreover, five weather stations were installed at various locations to monitor and evaluate the climatic data for the performance of various table and oil varieties.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2024