NOWSHERA, March 15 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said largescale olive cultivation would prove the best investment for Pakistan in terms of earning valuable foreign exchange and ensuring food security.
Addressing at the launch of a countrywide olive cultivation drive starting from the Nowshera district, the Prime Minister said the country had immense potential in the cultivation of olive trees owing to suitable topography and climate from north to south.
He mentioned that water-scarce areas such as Suleiman Mountains near Waziristan, Balochistan’s plains and Punjab’s diverse terrain offered an environment for low-irrigation olive farming.
Prime Minister Imran Khan terming food security a big challenge for the country said the olive fruit produced edible oil of high nutritional value, which could also be used to meet local demands besides its export.
He said Pakistan had more potential than Spain, the leading olive producer in the world, and could explore the possibilities with an effective strategy of olive cultivation.
in olive production, Pakistan has more potential than spain: PM
He said the country was blessed with 12 climatic zones and a diverse landscape and stressed the need to promote planting a variety of crops and fruit.
Imran Khan said olive was also mentioned in the Holy Quran several times that enhanced the relevance and significance of the ‘wonder fruit’.
He said the olive cultivation project would generate employment opportunities for the locals, both short and long-term, due to the long life of the plant.
The Prime Minister said olive cultivation was being carried out under the Ten Billion Tsunami Tree project, adding that plantation of other local fruits would be also be included in the programme.
He said that Pakistan was among the 10 most vulnerable countries on the verge of receiving high effects of climate change.
He said to save future generations from climate change, the plantation was the key step and also to reduce rising pollution levels in big cities of the country.
pm says plantation key to save future generations from climate change
He mentioned the already launched Miyawaki Japanese technique at several sites in Lahore and Islamabad with an objective to get dense greenery at a faster than usual pace.
He asked the head of the Forest Department to use a similar plantation method in Peshawar as the city touched alarming levels of pollution.
LIVE #APPNews : Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI addresses at launching ceremony of #OliveTreeTsunami at Nowshera Amangarh Plantation Site. #plant4pakistan #10BillionTreeTsunami https://t.co/0AKrU5sHlW
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The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Shah Farman for materializing the Ten Billion Tree Project across the province.
Earlier, Imran Khan planted a sapling of olive at the model plantation site of Amangarh in Nowshera, where the cultivation of around 7,200 olive plants will be carried out.
The Prime Minister visited the cultivation area, where he was given a briefing about the potential of olive plantation on the occasion. Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam and senior officials were present.
According to official details, the expected economic return of four million grafted olive plants in the sixth year will be around Rs 10.8 billion annually with a total income of Rs 54 billion after 10 years. The olive oil production on the sixth year will be approximately 7.2 million litres with average fruit production per plant at 15 kg.
-Reporting by Shumaila Andleeb from Islamabad
