The cultivation of olive trees on Pakistan’s barren lands can herald a new era of agricultural prosperity for the country, said Iqbal Hashmi, General Secretary of Pasban Democratic Party, in a statement today.
Pakistan, with its vast unused lands, has a unique opportunity to transform its agricultural landscape. By promoting olive cultivation on a national level, the country can significantly reduce its reliance on imported edible oil, revitalize rural economies, and create millions of jobs.
Hashmi highlighted the high value of olives as a crop, emphasizing their profitable nature and the global demand for olive oil as a healthy choice. A robust olive cultivation strategy can strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural value chain, ensure the establishment of oil extraction units, and enhance export capabilities. This, in turn, could benefit the national economy by saving substantial foreign exchange.
The leader of the Pasban Democratic Party pointed out that regions like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar, and Northern Punjab, with their arid and semi-arid climates, are ideal for olive cultivation. To harness this potential, the government should facilitate access to olive saplings, modern agricultural technologies, and provide farmers with easy loans and comprehensive training.
Hashmi emphasized that olive cultivation should be made a key component of the national agricultural policy. Specific projects should be initiated to reclaim barren lands and provide full support to farmers to reduce the country’s reliance on edible oil imports. By laying the foundation for a strong agricultural economy, Pakistan can move towards self-sufficiency in the edible oil sector.
If this initiative is taken seriously, it can mark a significant shift in Pakistan’s agricultural dynamics, promoting sustainable economic growth and self-reliance.