ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 (APP):Pakistan’s olive cultivation drive has expanded to 60 districts under the PSDP Olive Project, engaging 12,000 farmers as the country develops a farm-to-fork value chain covering cultivation, processing, quality control and value addition. According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, more than 7.5 million olive trees have been planted nationwide over around 60,400 acres under federal, provincial and international development programmes. Of these, 66%, or 5 …
Pakistan’s olive cultivation spreads to 60 districts; 12,000 farmers engaged
ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 (APP):Pakistan’s olive cultivation drive has expanded to 60 districts under the PSDP Olive Project, engaging 12,000 farmers as the country develops a farm-to-fork value chain covering cultivation, processing, quality control and value addition.
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, more than 7.5 million olive trees have been planted nationwide over around 60,400 acres under federal, provincial and international development programmes.
Of these, 66%, or 5 million trees, have been planted under the PSDP Olive Project, which covers 60 districts and engages 12,000 olive farmers.
Another 6,594 acres of olive groves have been equipped with water-saving irrigation systems to improve water-use efficiency.
The documents show that Pakistan has more than 4 million hectares of potential olive plantation area, along with millions of wild olive trees. The country has developed defined olive-growing clusters across different zones and approved 22 olive varieties for cultivation.
Initially dependent on sapling imports from Mediterranean countries, Pakistan has shifted to domestic propagation of olive plants since 2022, helping save foreign exchange through public-private partnerships and targeted capacity building.
The development of processing infrastructure has accompanied the expansion in cultivation. A total of 51 olive oil extraction units have been installed across Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
These include 15 extraction units established under the PSDP project, while other facilities have been supported by provincial governments, the World Bank, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, TIKA and other agencies.
Supporting infrastructure includes six fruit-processing units, 500 pre- and post-harvest kits, 14 DS nursery tunnels, five weather stations and four laboratories equipped for olive oil quality analysis.
Human resource development has also formed a major part of the initiative. A total of 276 capacity-building programmes covering orchard and nursery management, post-harvest handling, Good Agricultural Practices, Good Manufacturing Practices, oil extraction and value addition have benefited 17,986 stakeholders nationwide.
The documents said more than 36 publications on different aspects of the olive value chain had been developed, while dedicated project websites, educational YouTube channels and an interactive dashboard were being used for information dissemination and awareness among stakeholders.
The olive sector has also expanded into entrepreneurship and value-added production. More than 100 entrepreneurs are now engaged in olive oil and value-added products, including pickles, jams, cosmetics, soaps and nutraceuticals, with individual brands.
Maintaining quality standards to support future exports is another major focus of the initiative. Pakistan has already received international recognition for quality through the award-winning “LO-Loralai Olives”.
The documents said the decade-long national olive cultivation programme spearheaded by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research had helped turn barren lands into productive orchards while contributing to a more resilient and sustainable olive ecosystem.
FAOSTAT data cited in the documents show a promising trend, with olive oil imports decreasing significantly while exports have increased over the same period.
Economic modelling suggests that 10 years after completion of the project covering 33,000 acres, the sector will contribute Rs7.6 billion annually to the national economy, with benefits continuing for more than a century under sustained quality standards and farm-to-fork practices.
The documents also identify carbon sequestration, climate resilience and improved public health, including the potential to reduce future healthcare expenditures, among the wider benefits of olive-sector development.
Pakistan has been granted permanent status in the International Olive Council. A national olive policy and action plan has also been formulated, while the Olive Policy has been approved by the cabinet and officially launched by the Prime Minister.
The policy provides a framework for sustainable growth and regulation of the olive industry, with emphasis on enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting value addition and reducing dependence on imported edible oils.
