Pakistan and Portugal today agreed to expand cooperation in agriculture, food security, olive cultivation, and climate-resilient farming following talks between Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Portuguese Minister for Agriculture and the Sea José Manuel Fernandes in Lisbon.
During the meeting, the Portuguese minister praised Pakistan’s progress in developing its olive sector and expressed interest in broadening bilateral collaboration for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted Pakistan’s rapid advancement in olive production, saying the country had cultivated more than seven million olive trees across 55,669 acres. He said the expansion had been supported by modern olive oil extraction units, processing facilities, quality testing laboratories, and a growing value chain.
The minister said Pakistan offered significant investment opportunities in olive cultivation, processing, packaging, and value-added products. He noted that investor-friendly incentives available under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Board of Investment (BOI) included 100% foreign ownership, long-term land leases, duty-free import of agricultural machinery, tax concessions, and one-window facilitation for investors.
He invited Portuguese companies and investors to explore joint ventures and public-private partnerships in Pakistan’s olive industry, describing the country as an emerging destination for sustainable agricultural investment.
The two sides also discussed enhancing cooperation in agricultural research, mechanised harvesting, olive oil extraction technology, quality certification, value addition, and capacity building through stronger institutional linkages between research organisations in both countries. They also exchanged views on promoting climate-smart agriculture, efficient water management, drip irrigation systems, and sustainable land management practices.
Rana Tanveer Hussain reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the International Olive Council (IOC) following its accession as a permanent member and said the country remained committed to aligning its national standards with international benchmarks to improve the global competitiveness of Pakistani olive products.
Emphasising the importance of stronger institutional and people-to-people ties, the minister invited José Manuel Fernandes to visit Pakistan to observe the progress made under the National Olive Programme and explore new opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, trade, technology transfer, and investment.