The government has set a target to impart training to over 2,800 olive farmers and stakeholders during the tree plantation campaign for the current season for encouraging and developing olive farming in potential areas across the country.
“The aim of the initiative is to ensure the production of nutrient-filled hygienic edible oil by enhancing domestic output as well as reduce the reliance on the imported commodity, which is putting pressure on foreign exchange reserves,” said Dr Hassan Tariq, National Project Director Olive Cultivation Program in National Agriculture Research Center.
Talking to APP here on Friday, he said that during the current spring tree plantation drive about 47 training programmes would be organised in different areas to familiarise farmers with international best practices for olive cultivation.
Besides, the farmers would be trained on orchard management, and value addition of the olive to enhance their farm income, whereas they would also be introduced to the latest marketing techniques, labelling and branding, he added.
Meanwhile, a national olive reference lab was also established for quality testing to ensure the safety and quality of the locally produced products including olive oil and other value-added products that would help to ensure a proper rate of return to growers.
Another regional lab would also be established during the current year, Dr Tariq informed, adding that a national conference would also be organised during the next month, to be attended by growers, experts, academia, and industrialists.
Meanwhile, he said that over 1.2 million olive plants will be planted during the current spring tree plantation campaign across the country for strengthening the national efforts to enhance the output of domestic edible oil for reducing reliance on the imported commodity and save much-needed foreign exchange.—APP
