ISLAMABAD, June 6: Pakistan Oilseeds Development Board (PODB) has launched a project to produce olive oil on a mass scale in suitable areas of Punjab, NWFP and Baluchistan that will go a long way towards reducing edible oil import bill as well as raising the incomes of farmers.

In the first phase, Dr Zar Quresh, National Coordinator, Olive, told Dawn here on Thursday, the wild trees in government- owned forests would be grafted with European-type olive varieties in Pothwar region of Punjab, Malakand, Cherat, Hangu, Swat, Dir and Hazara Division in NWFP and Zhob, Loralai, Khuzdar and Kohlu districts of Balochistan.

A rough count shows that there are as many as 40 million wild olive trees in these areas. (In Pothwar, this tree is called “Kahu” and its wood is used in building and farm tools). Of these, it is planned to convert 8 million trees into the plants capable of producing oil-bearing olive fruit.

As these mature after five years, the quantity of oil to be obtained from their fruit is estimated at 0.2 million tons. The estimate is based on the calculation that one tree has the potential to yield six kg of high quality oil.

In view of their high value in international market, the officials of PODB expect that the export of this quantity would generate enough foreign exchange to import one million tons of palm oil after about five years.

Since last July, according to the official source, the PODB has successfully converted 0.1 million trees in Chhattar area of Pothwar and NWFP that would start fully fruiting next year. Next month, the PODB will extend its operations to the olive trees in Balochistan.

The Project also envisages extension of its activities to the privately owned lands having wild olive trees in coordination with the farmers. The Board has decided to provide farmers with training in budding and grafting of olive trees.

In order to encourage them to go for olive production, it will import bud wood of two varieties grown in Crete island of Greece and Italy. These varieties are famous for bearing fruit much earlier than other varieties.

The board, as part of the project, would also establish extraction units in olive-producing areas so that the farmers do not face any difficulty in marketing their output.

In the second phase, the board would turn its attention to the establishment of new plantations of olive trees. For this, the experts say, olive trees need irrigation but more than 24 inches of rain in a year.

On this basis, olive plantations can be extended over an area of 5 million acres. The area thus selected is not suitable for crops but ideal for growing olive trees as well as for bettering the lot of the farmers in hilly areas. At present, these areas, apart from scrub forest, remain unutilized and are, therefore, of little value to their owners in terms of sustainable income.

Olive plantation may come as a boon for farmers in barani areas who have already lost two full years of crops due to persistent drought. The project, therefore, has not come too soon to sustain them.