ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (Parc) has announced to cultivate olive on about 50,000 acres of land across the country during the next five years.
Parc Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, addressing participants of the Parc Planning Meeting, revealed that this year olive saplings will be planted over 8,000 acres. He said that olive plants and processing facilities would be provided to farmers to promote the culture and reduce dependence on imports.
He also emphasised on developing and strengthening specialised nurseries to produce indigenous olive plants at a mega scale to meet farmers’ demand and plantation targets. “Mother olive orchards will be established at the National Agricultural Research Centre with 60 different olive cultivars for provision of true type propagation material to develop indigenous plants.
