04/03/2011 (Daily Times) - Pakistan's Federal Minister for Food & Agriculture Mir Israrullah said on Thursday that achieving self-sufficiency in oilseed production is among government’s priorities.

The minister after a detailed briefing on Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB) here at the ministry said work on converting wild olive trees into fruits bearing plants and establishing new olive orchards must be speeded up.

“Pakistan is an agricultural country and must be self-sufficient in the production of food commodities. Cooperation with the private sector will be enhanced and people must be facilitated to plant olive in the areas suitable for its cultivation,” added the minister.

The minister told that sunflower was sown on an area of 1045000 (sowing in progress) acres while canola on of 233000 acres against the targets of 1145000 and 260000 acres to achieve an estimated production of 711000 and 146000 tonnes respectively, which is a positive indicator towards decreasing dependence on oilseed import.

He stressed increasing the output of olive nurseries and provision of technical support to the provincial governments and the private sector so that the country’s oilseed production is enhanced. The minister was briefed that PODB has established olive orchards on 1,130 acres in KPK, Baluchistan and Potohar and produced 280,000 olive saplings for distribution among farming community. It also arranged one Olive Oil Extraction Unit of 400kg/hr capacity and seven mobile units of 50 kg/hr capacity to facilitate the growers for olive oil extraction. It has also developed a Model Olive Research Station at Sangbhatti, Mardan KPK.

Oil palm plantation by PODB stands on 1390 acres and installation of palm oil extraction mill with a capacity of 10 tonnes/hr is in process at Thatta, Sindh. Promotion of Olive Cultivation for Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation project with a total cost of Rs 382.153 millions to be completed in 3 years (2011-13) and develop olive orchards of 400 hectares in KPK 300 hectares in FATA 500 hectares in Baluchistan and 300 hectare in Potohar has already started.