Barani Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) would extend its outreach to 12,000 progressive farmers of the Punjab province by December end this year in order to exploit olive production potential for enhancing output of the commodity in the country.
The institute under its olive promotion drive has so far distributed about 300,000 olive plants of different varieties among the potential growers free of cost, whereas over 800,000 acre of marginal land in Potohar region was identified for olive cultivation, said head BARI Dr Muhammad Tariq.
Talking to newsmen he informed that olive cultivation had been completed about 2,200 acres, whereas it would be cultivated over an additional 15,000 acres in districts Chakwal, Jehlum, Attock and Mianwali. Under the olive promotion drive in the country, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) had imported about 600,000 plants from Italy and other European countries, he added. About 280,000 plants were distributed free of cost to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was provided 150,000 olive plants, where as Balochistan 140,000 and Azad Jammu and Kashmir 5000 plants, he added.
Dr Tariq further said that a center of excellence for high value crops would also be established in BARI for exploiting the true potential of high value crops and citrus fruit production and exporting, adding that about 238km of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would cross through this area and an economic zone would also be established here.The initiative would help in producing about 70 million litters of extra virgin olive oil valuing Rs 3.9 billion annually, besides creating livelihood opportunities for the rural youth and women and it would also help in strengthening the cottage industry. He informed that the initiative would also help in fulfilling the increasing domestic per capital oil consumption, which at present was 18 liters per individual.
He said that the institution was also providing technical training to women for olive value addition and production of by-products in order to make them economically strong and stable by bringing a marginal land under the crop production. He informed that about 69 different varieties have been developed at BARI adding that 12 varieties were fit for domestic cultivation across the country.