MUZAFFARABAD: Two agricultural projects aimed at facilitating local olive and mushroom growers were launched in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Wednesday with assistance from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

The projects – an olive facilitation centre equipped with an oil extraction unit and a mushroom cultivation promotion laboratory, set up at a cost of Rs 22 million and 18 million, respectively on the premises of the Agriculture Complex in Muzaffarabad – were jointly inaugurated by AJK’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Sardar Mir Akbar and TIKA’s Head of Department, Dursun Ali Yasagan.

Prominent among other dignitaries, present on the occasion, were AJK’s Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Chaudhry Imtiaz Ahmed, Secretary for Planning and Development Aamir Latif Awan, Muzaffarabad’s Divisional Commissioner Masoodur Rehman and Muhsin Balci and Oya Tütüncü Guven from TIKA.

Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Mir Akbar underscored the importance of agriculture to Azad Kashmir’s economy as well as the need for innovation to harness the potential of its fertile lands and natural beauty and expressed hope for TIKA’s continued collaboration, not just in agriculture but also across other sectors.

He said interest in olive cultivation was growing in AJK and local farmers were being supported in establishing olive orchards and grafting wild olive trees.

Highlighting the substantial increase in olive production this year, Mr Akbar said farmers previously faced difficulties transporting their produce for processing in Mansehra or Islamabad, but the newly installed extraction unit in Muzaffarabad would offer them the much-needed local solution.

Turning to mushroom cultivation, he said it also offered significant economic potential and farmers were therefore being asked to diversify from traditional crops to more lucrative alternatives.

Mr Akbar asked TIKA to assist the AJK Agriculture Department in promoting beekeeping as well, as a viable industry in the region.

In his speech, Mr Yasacan informed that TIKA’s global operations spanned 150 developing countries to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency and improve public welfare.

Expressing satisfaction with the inauguration of the projects, he reaffirmed TIKA’s commitment to supporting AJK’s agriculture sector and also announced plans to collaborate in beekeeping by 2025.

Earlier, briefing the audience on the olive oil extraction unit, Director of Agriculture Extension Amna Rafi maintained that AJK offered a favourable climate and soil conditions for olive cultivation.

She informed that 237,000 olive saplings were planted and 281,000 grafts carried out this year, yielding 46 metric tonnes of olives.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024