Food security one of biggest challenges: PM

NOWSHERA: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday large scale olive cultivation would prove a best investment for Pakistan in terms of earning valuable foreign exchange as well as ensuring food security.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of countrywide olive cultivation drive starting from Nowshera district, the Prime Minister said the country had immense potential to cultivate olive trees owing to suitable topography and climate from north to south.

He mentioned that water scarce areas such as Sulaiman Mountains near Waziristan, Balochistan’s plains and Punjab’s diverse terrain offered suitable environment for low-irrigation olive farming.

Khan said the olive fruit produced edible oil of high nutritional value, which could also be used to meet local demands, besides its export.

The country, he said, was blessed with 12 climatic zones and diverse landscape and stressed the need to promote planting a variety of crops and fruits.He said olive was also mentioned in the Holy Quran for several times that enhanced relevance and significance of this “wonder fruit”.

He said olive cultivation project would generate employment opportunities for the locals, both short and long-term, due to long life of the plant.The Prime Minister said olive cultivation was being carried out under Ten Billion Tsunami Tree project, adding plantation of other local fruits would also be included in the programme.

He said Pakistan was among the 10 most vulnerable countries on the verge of receiving high effects of climate change.The premier pointed out that food security was one of Pakistan’s biggest challenges.

“There was a time when Pakistan was exporting wheat but last year the country imported three million tonnes of wheat and this year Pakistan has to import four million tonnes of wheat. Similarly, the country also had to import sugar,” he said.

“We already import edible oils like ghee and palm oils. Our biggest challenge in the coming days is how we will provide our people with food and good nutrition,” he added.He further said in order to save future generations from climate change effects, plantation was the key step and also to reduce rising pollution levels in big cities of the country.

He mentioned the already launched Miyawaki Japanese technique at several sites in Lahore and Islamabad with an objective to get dense greenery at faster than usual pace.He asked the head of Forest Department to use the similar plantation method in Peshawar, as the city touched alarming levels of pollution.

The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) Shah Farman for materialising the 10 billion tree project across the province.Earlier, Khan planted an olive sapling at model plantation site of Amangarh in Nowshera, where a cultivation of around 7,200 olive plants will be carried out.

The Prime Minister visited the cultivation area, where he was given a briefing about the potential of olive plantation on the occasion.Chief Minister KP Mehmood Khan, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam and senior officials were present on the occasion.

According to official details, the expected economic return of four million grafted olive plants after sixth year will be around Rs 10.8 billion annually with a total income of Rs 54 billion after 10 years.The olive oil production on sixth year will be approximately 7.2 million litres with average fruit production per plant at 15 kg.