Olive Plantation Initiatives
45% land of FATA is suitable for olive cultivation
(GIS study conducted by IOA and PODB)
Most suitable areas includes
–Bajaur 79,899 ha (53.4 %)
–Mohmand 75,167 ha (34.2 %)
–Kurram 93,676 ha (19.1 %)
–SWA 37,134 ha (6.4 %)
–NWA 51,319 ha (15.3 %)
• Plant of Marginal land
• Minimum land preparation cost
• Minimum inputs cost
• High rate of return
• Simple value addition
• Wide range of products
• Fruit bearing life >900 years
• Suitable for many areas
• Can reduce import bill
• Great export potential
Issues/challenges
• Sustenance of farmers
• Security concerns in FATA
• Farmers education & training
• Limited saplings available
• Infrastructure (road, market)
• Water scarcity
Implementation Strategy
• Implementation to start from FR/closer to settled areas
• Ownership of Politicians, PAs, Maliks and Notables
• Selection of areas with irrigation resources
• Sustenance of poor growers
• Free distribution of saplings
• Monitoring through satellite imagery/third party audit
• Training of farmers
• Small oil extraction units to be developed by ABEI, PARC
Benefits
• Environmental improvement
• Marginal land utilization
• Development of village entrepreneurship
• Employment generation
• Livelihood improvement
• Export potential
Source: Presentation highlight taken from Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Website for original Presentation Click Here
So when all olives are produced and fruit is in abundance where they will be consumed or sold? In FATA and other parts of Pakistan no one eats fresh olives. Export will be difficult. Factories to extract oil must be installed as part of project like India.
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