Pakistan takes seat as permanent member of IOC at 123rd session in Lisbon

ISLAMABAD, Jun 30 (APP): Pakistan on Tuesday formally took its seat as a permanent member of the International Olive Council (IOC) for the first time during the 123rd Session of the Council held in Lisbon, Portugal, marking a significant milestone in the country’s growing olive sector.

Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain led the Pakistani delegation to the meeting, accompanied by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Portugal, Aisha Farooqui, said a press release.

Following Pakistan’s accession to the International Olive Council in May 2026, the country was invited to participate in the Council’s 123rd Session alongside representatives of 27 other olive oil-producing member states.

Pakistan received a warm welcome from the IOC Executive Director, the Chairman of the Council and member countries on the occasion of taking its seat as a permanent member.

Addressing the session, Rana Tanveer Hussain thanked the IOC leadership and member states for their support and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing the Council’s objectives and contributing positively to the development of the global olive sector.

The minister briefed the Council on Pakistan’s remarkable progress in olive cultivation, stating that more than seven million olive trees have been planted across 55,669 acres, with olive production clusters steadily expanding in different parts of the country.

He informed the participants that Pakistan had established a comprehensive “farm-to-fork” olive value chain comprising 51 olive oil extraction units, modern processing facilities, nurseries, weather stations and four IOC-aligned quality laboratories. The country has also achieved self-sufficiency in the production of certified olive saplings.

Highlighting Pakistan’s international achievements, the minister said the country’s olive oil industry earned a Silver Award at the New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC) last year, reflecting the improving quality and global competitiveness of Pakistani olive oil.

Rana Tanveer Hussain expressed Pakistan’s resolve to play a constructive and cooperative role in promoting sustainable and climate-resilient development of the global olive oil and table olive sectors through active engagement with the International Olive Council.