Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched the Pakistan National Olive Value Chain Policy, aiming to transform the country’s growing olive sector into a major source of domestic edible oil, rural income and export earnings.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Sharif said Pakistan spends around $4 billion annually on edible oil imports and that saving even $400 million a year through higher domestic production would be a significant achievement. He expressed confidence that Pakistan could achieve edible oil self-sufficiency within a few years.
The prime minister said the country needs to move beyond olive cultivation and develop the entire value chain, including oil production, processing and value addition. He also assured farmers of maximum support from the federal and provincial governments and said practical measures were necessary to drive an agricultural transformation.
Sharif thanked Italy for its support in developing Pakistan’s olive sector and announced that the government would send 100 young agricultural graduates to Italy at its own expense for advanced training in olive cultivation, production, processing and marketing.
Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Ugo Ciarlatani said the new policy was the result of more than seven decades of bilateral cooperation. He said the $100 million Pakistan Italy Debt Swap Program had helped establish olive orchards across the country, while Italy’s Olive Culture Project had supported laboratories and nurseries, assisted business groups and trained more than 700 stakeholders.
Pakistan now has more than 7 million olive plants, according to the Italian ambassador. Italy is also supporting technical and vocational education through a €20 million capacity building program focused on high value agriculture, including olive cultivation and production.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said the government would provide disease-free seeds and deploy technology to reduce crop losses. He added that Pakistan’s membership in the International Olive Council would strengthen research, training, technology and quality certification in the sector.
National Food Security and Research Secretary Amer Ali Ahmed said Pakistan aims to begin exporting olive oil to markets across South, East and Central Asia. He said the sector could create new opportunities for farmers and businesses as the country develops a complete olive value chain.
The prime minister also distributed shields to olive growers and experts and visited stalls displaying locally produced olive products. Growers Abdul Jabbar of Loralai, Quratul Ain Irfan of Mardan and Yaqoob Izhar of Chakwal also spoke at the event.
