PESHAWAR, Oct 11: The Agriculture Department of Fata has initiated a number of schemes to increase the farm output and improve the economic condition of tribal farmers.

These schemes, officials said, included growing of oil-bearing olive trees in place of wild olives in tribal territories, adding that there were more than 10 million olive trees.

Under a project, 2.2 million wild olive trees would be converted within the next five years. Besides, 30, 000 improved varieties of olive plants would be distributed among growers each year.

They said that under an interim arrangement, one oil extractor was being supplied to every farm service centre. Later, when the volume of fruits is sufficient to cater for an industrial unit, then one unit would be set up in each tribal agency and private enterprises would be invited.

Fata's soil is suitable for cultivation of olives because of its fertility and a number of other natural factors. They said that there were large groves of wild olives in the area and exploitation of the natural resource could contribute to the local economy.

Moreover, the move would also help the country save the huge amount of foreign exchange currently being spent on the import of edible oil. They said that about 145,000 olive trees had been grafted during the monsoon season this year.

The approved cost of the project is over Rs3.4 million out of which more than Rs3.9 million has already been spent till June this year.

Statistics available with the NWFP governor's Fata Secretariat indicated that by June 2004, the number of grafting of wild olives in the Bajaur Agency was 156,000 followed by Mohmand (21,500), Kurram (121,000), Orakzai (148,000), Khyber (88,400), North Waziristan (143,950) and South Waziristan (140,000). -PPI