Rs382 mln project to produce 'made in Pakistan' olives begins to bear fruit| Arab News

[M Ali Khan]

In this picture, a man holds olives for sale at a market on October 6, 2019. (AFP)

KHURSHID AHMED & MUHAMMAD ISHTIAQ

November 23, 2019 12:56

• Sole facility in Chakwal has extracted 65 tons of oil from the fruit this year alone, experts say
• More than 1mln trees planted across 8,000 acres of land in Pothwar region

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis could soon be consuming locally-extracted, extra virgin olive oil as the country boosts its commercial production, following a collaboration with Italy, officials told Arab News on Friday.

Heavily-dependant on imported olive oil for its use, Pakistan began a revolutionarily project in 2012 by planting saplings in the tough terrain of the Pothwar region which includes Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock.

“In 2012, the Italian government initiated a multi-million funded project titled (Promotion of Olive Cultivation for Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation) signed by Pakistan Agriculture Research Council and Pakistan Italian Debt for Development Swap Agreement (PIDSA),” the Oilseed Development Board told Arab News in an email interview on Friday.

It added that the project was aimed at strengthening public/private partnership for the cultivation of olived on a commercial scale, extraction of olive oil, creation of direct and indirect job opportunities – thereby contributing toward poverty alleviation – saving important foreign exchange, making use of marginal and forest lands, and promoting a healthy ecosystem.

The Rs.382 million project aims to enhance local production and curtail the country’s import of olive oil, which is currently billed at around 4,000-5,000 metric tons.
“We have so far extracted extra virgin oil from the 65 tons of olive fruits in the oil extraction facility located at Barani Agriculture Research Institute BARI in Chakwal,” Inam-ul-Haq, Horticulturist at BARI, told Arab News on Friday. “The institute provides free extraction services to the olive farmers at the country’s only facility,” he added.

The government aims to develop the Pothwar region into an olive valley at a cost of Rs 2629.786 million with the sole objective of cultivating olives on 15,100 acres of land with the provision of 2,038,500 certified nursery plants, BARI said.

“We have planted more than a million olive trees that cover more than 8000 acres of land in Pothwar region,” Inam-ul-Haq said, adding that due to the success of the project, a significant production of olive plants and extraction of its oil “through public private cooperation is underway.”

Farmers, for their part, are expecting to replace imports with locally produced olive oil to a large extent, too.

“Earlier, the country’s reliance was 100 percent on imported olive oil but after the commencement of the local production, we are sure that within the next four years we would be able to substantially replace imports with local oil, if not totally replaced,” Basit Shakeel Hashmi, an olive farmer, told Arab News on Friday.

On Tuesday, Stefano Pontecorvo, Italy’s ambassador in Pakistan, tweeted photos of the first locally-manufactured “Pak olive”, adding that it would “soon be available in shops through an excellent, productive partnership”.

“Italy has become one of the most reliable olive exporters to Pakistan. In this context, H.E. Stefano the Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan is playing a pivotal role,” the Oilseed Development Board said.

Farmers, too, are optimistic that the locally-manufactured olive oil will find its place in the country’s stores as it meets international standards and is fairly priced. At the moment, fFlarmers are selling local oil between Rs 2,500 ($16) to Rs 4,000 ($25.70) per liter.

“Pakistan’s olive oil is 100 percent extra virgin but due to lack of food laws implementation the imported oil’s quality remains questionable,” Tariq Mehmood, an olive farmer, told Arab News, adding that the country needs to implement food laws “to check the inflow of substandard edible goods”.

Mehmood said that he is expecting around 11,000 to 12,000 kilograms from his farm, which has been declared as a model example, wherefrom he markets his product under the “Oil Garden” brand.

Rs382 mln project to produce 'made in Pakistan' olives begins to bear fruit

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis could soon be consuming locally-extracted, extra virgin olive oil as the country boosts its commercial production, following a collaboration with Italy, officials told Arab News on Friday. Heavily-dependant on imported olive oil for its use, Pakistan began a...

www.arabnews.pk

 

[M Ali Khan]

In Pakistan’s olive-rich tribal areas, lone oil plant begins operations

REHMAT MEHSUD

October 27, 2019 14:39

Locals in Bajaur district pack olives for onward delivery to the processing plant on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 (Photo credit: Bajaur agriculture extension department)

• Olive oil derived from improved plant varieties is intended for export by next year, officials say
• Local olive farmers in the region are looking to cash in on the increase in interest and demand

PESHAWAR: The first ever olive processing plant set up in a Pakistani tribal district, in a region that borders Afghanistan, has started producing olive oil, the top district administrator said on Thursday.

Wild olive plants grow in the millions in the erstwhile tribal regions, but until about a decade ago, these plants had little commercial value and were used mainly for timber and fire-wood.

But following the grafting of 150,000 wild olive plants into cultivars, an artificially bred and improved variety of the plant, the olive oil processing plant in Bajaur is now in business. The cultivars are created through grafting, where a single bud from a desirable tree is slipped into the bark on a small seedling to produce farmer-friendly varieties of the plant that are resistant to diseases, have a low juvenile period and a longer fruiting life.

Olive fruits picked and ready for processing at Bajaur’s oil processing plant on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 (Photo credit: Bajaur agriculture extension department)

“Oil production has started but in low quantity. I hope from next year, oil production will increase for commercial purposes,” Muhammad Usman Mehsud, deputy commissioner of Bajaur, told Arab News, and added that efforts had been intensified to begin exporting the oil from next year.

“The agriculture extension department intends to graft 1.6 million wild olive groves through improved olive varieties. Right now, we have up to 6,000 grafted olive plants bearing fruit,” he said.

Bottles of refined olive oil labelled “Bajaur Olive Oil,” on display, from the district’s first oil processing plant. Oct. 22, 2019 (Photo credit: Bajaur agriculture extension department)

Olives, known locally as Zaintoon or Khuna, have 30 different species and a life span of between 900 to 1,000 years. According to experts in Pakistan, they are one of the world’s most drought resistant trees and thrive well where annual average rainfall is between 900 to 1,000 mm without irrigation.

Of the grafted olive species, 30,000 olive plants are already bearing fruit, Zia-ul-Islam Dawar, the district agriculture officer, told Arab News.

“One olive plant produces 60 to 70 kg of oil, while the processing plant has the capacity to produce 200 kg of oil per hour,” he said and added that his department planned on grafting wild olive groves under a government scheme known as the ‘Promotion of Olive Cultivation for Oil Production in Bajaur.’

Pickled olives from Bajaur’s first ever olive processing plant. Oct. 22, 2019 (Photo credit: Bajaur agriculture extension department)

“The agriculture department has established new orchards on 160 acres of land in the district under various developmental schemes in the year 2018-19,” Dawar said, and added that the farmers too, are looking to cash in on the increase in business in the region.
One liter of olive oil costs approximately Rs. 1,600 ($10) in the open market.

Shah Khalid, a tribal elder and farmer, said the district’s tribesmen were enthusiastically participating in the planting and development of olive cultivars due to the increase in demand in local as well as international markets.

A bottle of olive oil, a product of Bajaur’s lone oil processing plant. Oct. 22, 2019. (Photo credit: Bajaur agriculture extension department)

“More and more farmers are now inclined to establish olive orchards in Bajaur because they know about its skyrocketing price. I suggest the government should declare Bajaur Pakistan’s olive valley to spur a revolution in the economy and to woo more growers and investors,” Khalid said.

Parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the newly-merged tribal districts have conducive agro-climatic conditions for olive plantation, with 36,000 million wild olive trees growing in Pakistan’s mountainous tribal areas, he said.

Olive oil is used in Pakistan and around the world for cooking, eating, confectionary, cosmetics and for its many health benefits.

In Pakistan’s olive-rich tribal areas, lone oil plant begins operations

PESHAWAR: The first ever olive processing plant set up in a Pakistani tribal district, in a region that borders Afghanistan, has started producing olive oil, the top district administrator said on Thursday. Wild olive plants grow in the millions in the erstwhile tribal regions, but until about a...

www.arabnews.pk

 

[M Ali Khan]

really hope this olive oil project becomes a success. olive trees are very resilient plants that just require the right kind of care without too much water and nutrients to sustain themselves.

 

[aamirza44]

In this picture, a man holds olives for sale at a market on October 6, 2019. (AFP)
And what about PIA, Steel mill, railway, circular debt of eletric and gas. Few millions can be seen and loss of hundreds of billions rupee and loans $billions, what about that

KHURSHID AHMED & MUHAMMAD ISHTIAQ

November 23, 2019 12:56

• Sole facility in Chakwal has extracted 65 tons of oil from the fruit this year alone, experts say
• More than 1mln trees planted across 8,000 acres of land in Pothwar region

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis could soon be consuming locally-extracted, extra virgin olive oil as the country boosts its commercial production, following a collaboration with Italy, officials told Arab News on Friday.

Heavily-dependant on imported olive oil for its use, Pakistan began a revolutionarily project in 2012 by planting saplings in the tough terrain of the Pothwar region which includes Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock.

“In 2012, the Italian government initiated a multi-million funded project titled (Promotion of Olive Cultivation for Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation) signed by Pakistan Agriculture Research Council and Pakistan Italian Debt for Development Swap Agreement (PIDSA),” the Oilseed Development Board told Arab News in an email interview on Friday.

It added that the project was aimed at strengthening public/private partnership for the cultivation of olived on a commercial scale, extraction of olive oil, creation of direct and indirect job opportunities – thereby contributing toward poverty alleviation – saving important foreign exchange, making use of marginal and forest lands, and promoting a healthy ecosystem.

The Rs.382 million project aims to enhance local production and curtail the country’s import of olive oil, which is currently billed at around 4,000-5,000 metric tons.
“We have so far extracted extra virgin oil from the 65 tons of olive fruits in the oil extraction facility located at Barani Agriculture Research Institute BARI in Chakwal,” Inam-ul-Haq, Horticulturist at BARI, told Arab News on Friday. “The institute provides free extraction services to the olive farmers at the country’s only facility,” he added.

The government aims to develop the Pothwar region into an olive valley at a cost of Rs 2629.786 million with the sole objective of cultivating olives on 15,100 acres of land with the provision of 2,038,500 certified nursery plants, BARI said.

“We have planted more than a million olive trees that cover more than 8000 acres of land in Pothwar region,” Inam-ul-Haq said, adding that due to the success of the project, a significant production of olive plants and extraction of its oil “through public private cooperation is underway.”

Farmers, for their part, are expecting to replace imports with locally produced olive oil to a large extent, too.

“Earlier, the country’s reliance was 100 percent on imported olive oil but after the commencement of the local production, we are sure that within the next four years we would be able to substantially replace imports with local oil, if not totally replaced,” Basit Shakeel Hashmi, an olive farmer, told Arab News on Friday.

On Tuesday, Stefano Pontecorvo, Italy’s ambassador in Pakistan, tweeted photos of the first locally-manufactured “Pak olive”, adding that it would “soon be available in shops through an excellent, productive partnership”.

“Italy has become one of the most reliable olive exporters to Pakistan. In this context, H.E. Stefano the Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan is playing a pivotal role,” the Oilseed Development Board said.

Farmers, too, are optimistic that the locally-manufactured olive oil will find its place in the country’s stores as it meets international standards and is fairly priced. At the moment, fFlarmers are selling local oil between Rs 2,500 ($16) to Rs 4,000 ($25.70) per liter.

“Pakistan’s olive oil is 100 percent extra virgin but due to lack of food laws implementation the imported oil’s quality remains questionable,” Tariq Mehmood, an olive farmer, told Arab News, adding that the country needs to implement food laws “to check the inflow of substandard edible goods”.

Mehmood said that he is expecting around 11,000 to 12,000 kilograms from his farm, which has been declared as a model example, wherefrom he markets his product under the “Oil Garden” brand.

Rs382 mln project to produce 'made in Pakistan' olives begins to bear fruit

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis could soon be consuming locally-extracted, extra virgin olive oil as the country boosts its commercial production, following a collaboration with Italy, officials told Arab News on Friday. Heavily-dependant on imported olive oil for its use, Pakistan began a...

www.arabnews.pk

 

[aamirza44]

In this picture, a man holds olives for sale at a market on October 6, 2019. (AFP)
And price of olive oil is not $10 per litter, i live in uk and can buy good quality £2 per litter. So you looking at about less than a dollar per litter without packaging

KHURSHID AHMED & MUHAMMAD ISHTIAQ

November 23, 2019 12:56

• Sole facility in Chakwal has extracted 65 tons of oil from the fruit this year alone, experts say
• More than 1mln trees planted across 8,000 acres of land in Pothwar region

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis could soon be consuming locally-extracted, extra virgin olive oil as the country boosts its commercial production, following a collaboration with Italy, officials told Arab News on Friday.

Heavily-dependant on imported olive oil for its use, Pakistan began a revolutionarily project in 2012 by planting saplings in the tough terrain of the Pothwar region which includes Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock.

“In 2012, the Italian government initiated a multi-million funded project titled (Promotion of Olive Cultivation for Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation) signed by Pakistan Agriculture Research Council and Pakistan Italian Debt for Development Swap Agreement (PIDSA),” the Oilseed Development Board told Arab News in an email interview on Friday.

It added that the project was aimed at strengthening public/private partnership for the cultivation of olived on a commercial scale, extraction of olive oil, creation of direct and indirect job opportunities – thereby contributing toward poverty alleviation – saving important foreign exchange, making use of marginal and forest lands, and promoting a healthy ecosystem.

The Rs.382 million project aims to enhance local production and curtail the country’s import of olive oil, which is currently billed at around 4,000-5,000 metric tons.
“We have so far extracted extra virgin oil from the 65 tons of olive fruits in the oil extraction facility located at Barani Agriculture Research Institute BARI in Chakwal,” Inam-ul-Haq, Horticulturist at BARI, told Arab News on Friday. “The institute provides free extraction services to the olive farmers at the country’s only facility,” he added.

The government aims to develop the Pothwar region into an olive valley at a cost of Rs 2629.786 million with the sole objective of cultivating olives on 15,100 acres of land with the provision of 2,038,500 certified nursery plants, BARI said.

“We have planted more than a million olive trees that cover more than 8000 acres of land in Pothwar region,” Inam-ul-Haq said, adding that due to the success of the project, a significant production of olive plants and extraction of its oil “through public private cooperation is underway.”

Farmers, for their part, are expecting to replace imports with locally produced olive oil to a large extent, too.

“Earlier, the country’s reliance was 100 percent on imported olive oil but after the commencement of the local production, we are sure that within the next four years we would be able to substantially replace imports with local oil, if not totally replaced,” Basit Shakeel Hashmi, an olive farmer, told Arab News on Friday.

On Tuesday, Stefano Pontecorvo, Italy’s ambassador in Pakistan, tweeted photos of the first locally-manufactured “Pak olive”, adding that it would “soon be available in shops through an excellent, productive partnership”.

“Italy has become one of the most reliable olive exporters to Pakistan. In this context, H.E. Stefano the Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan is playing a pivotal role,” the Oilseed Development Board said.

Farmers, too, are optimistic that the locally-manufactured olive oil will find its place in the country’s stores as it meets international standards and is fairly priced. At the moment, fFlarmers are selling local oil between Rs 2,500 ($16) to Rs 4,000 ($25.70) per liter.

“Pakistan’s olive oil is 100 percent extra virgin but due to lack of food laws implementation the imported oil’s quality remains questionable,” Tariq Mehmood, an olive farmer, told Arab News, adding that the country needs to implement food laws “to check the inflow of substandard edible goods”.

Mehmood said that he is expecting around 11,000 to 12,000 kilograms from his farm, which has been declared as a model example, wherefrom he markets his product under the “Oil Garden” brand.

Rs382 mln project to produce 'made in Pakistan' olives begins to bear fruit

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis could soon be consuming locally-extracted, extra virgin olive oil as the country boosts its commercial production, following a collaboration with Italy, officials told Arab News on Friday. Heavily-dependant on imported olive oil for its use, Pakistan began a...

www.arabnews.pk

 

[Sonya Khan]

Tarnab farms is also helping grow olives .... Had a chance to use its olive oil ..... Was so pure , it felt like having a raw olive ...... but they need to cut down on odour .....

 

[Khan125]

Tarnab farms is also helping grow olives .... Had a chance to use its olive oil ..... Was so pure , it felt like having a raw olive ...... but they need to cut down on odour .....

Ye kahan pe hey ore kis rate pe sale krty hain?

 

[Sonya Khan]

Ye kahan pe hey ore kis rate pe sale krty hain?

Tarnab Farms .... Tarnab area near pabbi Peshawar ...... If you go on GT road to Peshawar.... you will cross this large govt research facility in Tarnab area ... There you can get local experimental produce of different kinds ..... Don’t know about the price though ....