PESHAWAR, March 12: The agriculture authorities have started work to bring maximum land under cultivation in Fata. The NWFP governor has started implementation on a land reclamation scheme under which farmers' land would be reclaimed on a 70:30 share basis.

A total of 2,750 acres are to be reclaimed this year while from the next year, 4,250 acres would be reclaimed each year over a period of five years, an official report said.

The governor has also submitted a mega project to the federal government under which 21,250 acres of land would be reclaimed, the report added.

The cultivable land is about 0.5 million acres and as such the average holding of cultivable land is less than one acre per family. There is a huge chunk of wasteland - 424,300 acres in Fata, it added.

The country spends a huge foreign exchange on the import of edible oil every year. To save this, the government has decided to convert wild olive trees into oil-bearing varieties in the tribal areas where more than 10 million olive trees are available, the report said.

The mountains and valleys of Fata are full of wild olives. To harness this natural resource, conversion of wild olive trees into oil-bearing varieties has been started.

During monsoon season this year, 145,000 wild olives have been grafted.

In the current spring, 650,000 wild olive are being grafted. Under the mega project, submitted to the federal government, 2.2 million wild olives would be converted into oil-bearing varieties in five years. Apart from this, 30,000 improved saplings of olive plants would be distributed amongst growers each year.

As an interim arrangement, one oil extractor would be supplied to each farm service centre for extracting oil from olive fruits. Later on, when the volume of fruits is sufficient to cater for an industrial unit, then one unit at each agency will be established inviting private entrepreneurs.

This year 200,000 fruit plants would be distributed amongst growers at nominal rates. Until now, 180,000 plants have been distributed.

New improved varieties of Dhakki dates have been introduced in Mohmand Agency, Mir Ali (SWA) and FR Bannu. As many as 110 acres Dhakki dates orchards have been planted. The Dhakki date fruit fetches Rs70 to Rs80 per kg in the market.

Groundnut is a cash crop and fetches reasonable returns to the farmers. A project is being launched to promote groundnut in Bajaur, Orakzai, Kurram, FR Bannu and FR Lakki. It is already being cultivated in Kurram Agency.

The governor is determined to provide every possible help for capacity building of Fata farmers, the report says. -APP