Special attention would be focused on the promotion of Olive cultivation and necessary information and guidance are being extended to Olive growers in Balochistan. Olive model farms are playing instrumental role in cultivation of Olive crop in various parts and a large number of cultivators showing their keen interest in Olive crop in the Province. In Punjab, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Chakwal and Khushab districts are the potential areas for Olive cultivation.
[Source: Pakistan Observer]
1 comments:
OLIVEPAKISTAN
As Salaam O Elakum
Congratulations on getting olives into one of projects.
Olive is mentioned in The Quran as Blessed Tree.
Allah has gifted us with Pakistan which is full of His bounties.
In Pakistan we are growing olives, for last few years olive crop is available.
OLIVE TREES FRUIT BEARING LIFE IS OVER 1500 YEARS.
First Most, our farmers/households living in the olive growing potential areas have small parcel of lands, but not very good returns due to “middle man” specifically, cash strapped, and then technology. Also what they grow is not very good priced crops. This area has potential of growing Olives, the model villages for different crops, with Olive’s trees as long term investment, which will give additional income to farmers.
I have been involved in "Olive Pakistan" for last six years or so (2008).
OLIVES can bring a bright future for our farmers in suitable olive growing regions of Pakistan especially Arid Zones, where shortage of water and marginal/waste lands will increase the PE ratio.
We are purchasing olive fruit from farmers any where in Pakistan, and process those for oil, and other products as per our local traditional taste. It’s either 10KG or whatever quantities; at rate of Rs 120 per Kilogram at his farm, if we request them to come to us, then we pay them additional traveling expenses to bring olive fruit to us.
There are more than 8 million wild trees that can also be converted in olive fruit bearing trees. We buy branches of olive trees (wild), as farmers use this wood as burning fuel – we give cash or barter with “wood which is normally used as burning”, we try to educate them not cut wild olive trees as these are part of our echo system for thousand’s of years. But in case, we take the olivewood and trying to develop some products so as to add income to these farmers and carpenters, etc.
We process 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil of unmatched quality as expressed by Italian experts posted in Pakistan by Italian Government under the assistance program for olive propagation & technology transfer.
We also develop some food products as per our Pakistani traditional taste, likes pickles, marmalade, jam, conserve, syrup.
I believe one needs dedicated personnel to run this project successfully, those who are madly in love with Olives. I have some concepts to improve our farmers/households in the above areas through Olives. We started 5 years ago purchasing with 50KG and last year the Olive fruit collected by us is more than 5000KG. Then in next 5 year it will reach 50,000 as per our contacts with Olive grower’s number of trees which has reached commercial harvest have increased ten folds.
The trees by small farmers/landowners had been added every year, but boom needs inputs like Olive Saplings. One such plan is to provide olive saplings to small and poor farmers at reduced rates and/or in kind, and assist them in technical matters of growing and caring of plants for first 5 years.
We are also running campaign of donating trees to poor farmers in above mentioned areas. The five year of work gives more than 1500 years of fruit, so they can add earnings in years to come and for better living.
Another is developing olive sapling nursery for long term supply of plants, so they in time to come have better income through sale of olives.
In addition to nursery, there is value addition of olives, and by-products to enhance the capacity of olive base agro-industry. The detail discussion on the aspects and implementation can be done with stake holders and organizations which work in rural areas.
We are looking for investors for olive orchards plantations; to have an intercropping-agro-industry-corporate-consortium for multi purpose agriculture-livestock-poultry project. The area where land is very suitable for olive growing is cheap. We can manage for interested investors for a long term returns for generations.
Wa Elakum As Salaam
Muhammad Azam Sheikh AlZaitoun
0333 6591777 azam@olives.pk www.pakistanproduct.com
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