THE history of olive is as old as the world itself. However its original home seems to be Asia Minor from where it spread to other parts of the world. The Mediterranean region produces it the most.

Of the 800 million trees growing all over the world , 93 per cent grow in that region. Its various types are extensively cultivated on commercial scale in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, China, USA and other countries.

The morphological characters of this unique tree are simple and the generic name of the cultivated olive is Olea europaea. It is an ever-green tree, ranging 20-40 feet in height. It has very thin branches with opposite branchlets, lanceolate leaves about two and a quarter inch long, pale green above and silvery below. Its flowers are numerous and creamy white in colour. The dark purple fruit is a drupe about an inch long. It starts bearing fruit somewhere between 4 and 8 years and has a long bearing age— even beyond 100 years.

Nutritional and medicinal values: Improved varieties of olive are considered a very rich source of quality oil that is the best for cooking purpose. It is reported that the fruit contains on an average 20-35 per cent oil, almost free from cholesterol. Apart from this it contains, in a balanced form, essential vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and phosphorous which are important for human health and vigour. The bark, leaves, and fruit of olive have great medicinal values. The early Middle Eastern civilizations believed that it would cure every illness, except death. A wide range of healthy effects of the olive use is mentioned even in today’s medical literature. Experts believe that its oil is a nourishing demulcent and laxative. Externally it relieves pruritis, the effects of sting and burns and is a good vehicle for liniments. With alcohol it is a good hair tonic. As a lubricant it is valuable in skin, muscular, joint, kidney and chest complaints or abdominal chill, typhoid, scarlet fever, plague and dropsy. Delicate babies absorb its nourishing properties well through the skin. Internally it is a laxative and a disperser of acids and a mechanical antidote for irritant poison. The leaves have antiseptic properties besides providing winter fodder for goats, etc.

Location: Wild olives grow in abundance in the foothills of Murree, Attock and Jhelum and Hazara (Oogi) and Charat hills in the NWFP. The fruit is of inferior quality and has no uses at present. The British government introduced a few improved olive varieties in the hills of Murree and Hazara for trial purposes. After partition of the sub-continent, the fruit received no attention. As a result of this neglect, there are no plantations of olive tree and it does not enjoy the priority given to apples, citrus fruits and mangoes.

Constraints: Some of the difficulties mentioned below are regarded as the main constraints in the expansion of commercial cultivation of improved olive varieties in the country:

* the verities require pollens of other varieties for fertilization and there are no pollinator trees in the olive plantations synchronizing with the flowering of other trees;

* there should be suitably low temperatures to complete the chilling requirements of olive varieties;

* warm and dry weather is required during the flowering and fruiting periods. Excessive rains are harmful during this critical period;

* most of the varieties are alternate bearing. A balance application of NPK fertilizers and moderate amount of pruning is essential for regular fruiting;

* there are no nurseries for propagation and supply of the standard fruit plants of improved varieties.

* improved oil extraction machines should be introduced.

* a well-trained extension service is required to educate growers in its production and processing.

Research: In an effort to overcome the above-mentioned constraints, the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council under its Fruits Maximization Programme procured sets of improved varieties from Italy in 1984 to study their performance and the yield quality under varying climatic conditions and to standardize their agronomic practices, especially the propagation techniques.

However it would be interesting to highlight the current research findings of the NARC experts for the guidance of those interested in the olive production:

* pandolinoio is a good pollinator for most of the improved varieties;

* application of nitrogen, phosphorous and potash in a balanced form according to the age of the tree is very essential for better yields. An average ratio should be as 1:2:1/2;

* pruning is very essential to develop proper framework and shape of the tree to regulate fruiting branches for controlling alternate bearing and to remove diseased and dried branches;

* normally 400-500mm of rain is needed during the dry period in barani areas. In case of inadequate rains 2-4 irrigations will be needed;

* varieties like Domate, Uslu, Nocellara, Carolea, Cratina and Gemlik give better yields and oil contents ranging from 22 per cent to 47 per cent in trials; * months of August and September are better for top-working of wild olive trees;

* autumn planting is better than spring planting in areas where winter season is not severe.

Conclusion: Propagation of quality nursery plants of the recommended varieties on the standard root-stocks and ensuring availability on reasonable prices is the first step in establishing the olive production on scientific lines. Research and development activities are still lacking and presently it is being imported from Italy and Spain at a very high price ranging from Rs600 to Rs700 per kg.

Small growers can cultivate olive varieties in the mountainous areas. A well-planned programme can be very effective in replacing poppy cultivation.

(The author is the Ex-Director General of Agriculture, NWFP.)