ABBOTTABAD: Deputy commissioner Tariq Salam Marwat has said that implementation of the pilot project for growing olive in collaboration with the agriculture department and citizens is an encouraging sign and a large-scale production of olives will be made possible in the future.

He said this during inspection of ongoing olive grafting in Dhamthore union council where he also met residents of the area. District director agriculture Mukhtiar Yousafzai, deputy director Sajid Khan and other officers were also present on the occasion.

In Abbottabad district, the government is implementing olive tree plantation in Dhamthore and Sarbhana under a pilot project. The agriculture department in collaboration with the local community is conducting training and implementation of olive grafting on wild oak trees.

A target of 30,000 olive trees has been set in Abbottabad district of which up to 20,000 trees have been planted and 13,000 trees pruned.

The DC said that under this project, the focus will be on sustainable agriculture with the objective to achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture and use of terrestrial ecosystem.

Mr Marwat stressed transforming millions of wild olive trees into fruit-bearing plants so that the import of edible oil could be reduced.

FOOD SAFETY: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority conducted crackdown on sellers of substandard and unhealthy food items. During the raid, they discarded 600 litres of unhealthy beverages and imposed fines on those selling substandard items.

Raids were conducted by the Abbottabad team under the supervision of the authority’s assistant director Rukhsar Ali on Sunday who inspected various shops on Kutcheri Road and seized substandard mineral water, juices, beverages and oil. Samples were tested on the spot.

About 600 litres of substandard beverages were seized on the spot and a warehouse was sealed.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2022