Encouraged with the success of olive cultivation, the Punjab government has initiated a five-year programme for planting olive on a wide scale in the Potohar region. Under the plan, it is envisaged to plant some 2,038,600 olive trees on 15,100 acres of land in Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Khushab and Rawalpindi districts.

In Punjab, olive is already being planted, on some tracts of land, in Chakwal, Kallar Kahar, Talagang, Fatehjang, Chakri and Taxilla. Elsewhere in the country, olive is being planted in Malakand, Peshawar (Tarnab), Charsadda, Haripur, Lower Dir, Kohat, Kakka Sahib, Cheerat, Akora Khattak, Pirsabak, Swabi, Mardan and D.I. Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province; South Waziristan, Khyber Agency, Bajaur Agency, Kurram Agency, Hangu and Mohmand Agency in FATA; and Zhob, Killa Saifulla, Musa Khel, Barkhan and Loralai in Balochistan province.

These plants, it is believed, will yield quality olive and contribute to lessening the country’s dependence on the imported oil and also contribute to poverty alleviation efforts. Presently, Pakistan meets almost 75 per cent of its edible oil requirements from imports, which entail a foreign exchange expenditure of about Rs225 billion every year. About a decade back, Pakistan used to meet some 70 per cent of its edible oil requirements from imports, but the ratio of imported edible oil has been widening due to increase in the country’s population and outflow of locally produced oil to some neighbouring countries.

To lessen dependence on edible oil imports, the government launched, in 2001, a programme envisaging increasing domestic production of sunflower, oil palm, canola, and extra-virgin olive oil utilising cultureable wastelands, forest lands and sub-mountainous areas.

Pakistan has great potential for olive cultivation, according to experts, and earning about US$10 billion by bringing its cultivable potential wastelands under olive cultivation besides converting eight million wild olive trees, present in different regions, into productive trees through grafting.

Olive grows in well drained soil. They do not like water-logging as this causes them to develop root diseases. Neither do they like clay soil. Sandy soil is fine, if intensive irrigation and feeding is maintained. The perfect olive-growing soil is stony with a high content of gravel.

The best olive production and fruit quality occurs in areas having mild winter and long warm dry summer. Olive trees can be planted during spring and fall. However, fall is best if there is no likelihood of frost during winter. Although olive is a hardy tree, it requires timely irrigation during the early two years. If it does not rain, trees should be irrigated twice or thrice in a year, preferably before flowering, after flowering and 30-45 days before fruit maturing.

An olive tree starts bearing fruit from the fourth year of its cultivation, but it gives good harvest from the sixth year onwards. Olive fruit matures during August to September. Harvesting is accomplished by picking singly for obtaining good quality oil/pickle, but this mode is time consuming and expensive. Alternately, it is harvested by shaking branches and collecting dropped fruit, or mechanically whereby machine grips trunk and shakes branches.

An integral part of diet in the Mediterranean region, olive is believed to be one of the earliest trees cultivated by man. In South Asia, wild olive (olea Cuspida) is found within the northwest Himalayas and other adjoining hills. However, till recently, cultivated olive (olea Europea) was not being grown anywhere in this region on commercial scale. In Pakistan, olive is known as Zytoon in Urdu, Showan in Pushtu, Khat in Brahavi and Kow in Punjabi, Sindhi and Seraiki. Olive oil is widely used in countries where fats are scarce.

Mentioned seven times in the Holy Quran, the health benefits of olive have been propounded in Tibb-e-Nabvi (The Holy Prophet’s system of medicine). According to Hazrath Abu Hurairah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Eat olive oil and apply it (locally), since there is cure for 70 diseases in it, one of them is leprosy." Hazrat Alqama bin Amir quotes the Holy Prophet (PBUH) as saying: "There is olive oil for you, eat it, massage over your body, since it is effective in haemorrhoids (piles)." Yet another Hadith, narrated by Hazrat Aqba Bin Amir, quotes the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to have said: "You have the olive oil from this holy tree, treat yourself with this, since it cures anal fissure."

The secret of the olive tree is in two things: its fruit -- the olive itself, and its over 20 feet massive underground root system, which enables the tree to withstand droughts. Another aspect of its deep roots is that these enable the tree to produce olives for hundreds of years even after the tree looks as if there is no life left in it.

Unlike most unsaturated plant oils, which come from seeds, monounsaturated olive oil is obtained from the pulp or fruit mesocarp. Virgin olive oil is obtained from the first pressing. According to experts, one ton of oil can be extracted from olive trees spreading over one hectare of land.

The Vitamin E contained in olives is the body’s primary fat-soluble antioxidant, which helps to strengthen the digestion and body’s immune system; reducing cholesterol level, severity of asthma, cancer, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and premature ageing as well as delaying the effects of ageing, including wrinkles.

Monounsaturated fats are an important part of human diet. These oils prevent cholesterol from sticking to artery walls, thus combating against heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure. It also helps control blood sugar and offers protection against diabetes. Though a low calorie light food, olives are very filling and quickly satisfy hunger.

Olives contain compounds called polyphenols that appear to have significant anti-inflammatory properties. Used as balm, olive fortifies limbs and hair, keeping the later shiny and dandruff free. When applied to body, it fortifies and moisturises the skin, softening it, combating inflammation and dry skin. It combats against acne, aches and pains from tired muscles.

Tea prepared from olive leaves helps against high blood pressure; while decoction of olive leaves in water is effective against mouth and lip ulcers and allergic dermatitis. The concentrated aqueous extract of olive leaves and fruits is effective against dental cavities and its application shows good effects on leukoplaquea in mouth. When this solution is applied with vinegar on alopecia, it grows the hair and removes alopecia.

Local application of this extract removes scars of smallpox and boils. Powder of its seeds, mixed with butter, is effective in brittle nails; and pickles prepared from olive fruits -- a good appetizer -- removes constipation. For pickle making, olive fruit is harvested when it is light green. When the fruit turns purplish in October, it is harvested for oil, which is obtained by mechanically crushing the fruit. The smashed leaves of olive, when applied locally, check excessive perspiration. The juice of its leaves, with honey, is used as eardrops and effective cure for various ailments of the ear.

The oil procured by burning of olive wood is effective against fungal infections, like ringworm, T.versicolor, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff and alopecia. The application of olive oil in eyes relieves inflammation, while its massage tones up the body muscles/organs and relieves muscular pains. Some physicians also advocate olive oil massage for epilepsy. It relieves the sciatic and arthritis.

The ointments prepared from olive oil are good healing agents, which quickly heal sinus and fistula. Some 25ml of olive oil, when mixed with 250ml of barley water, if taken internally, is highly effective against chronic constipation. It is a good diuretic, hence is used in ascites. It also removes kidney stones. A conventional regimen, comprising olive oil and herbal rugs, dissolves and expels gallbladder stones.