Italy alongside Pakistan in olive growing
OliveCulture Scale-Up Project Steering Committee Meeting

https://ansabrasil.com.br/english/news/news_from_embassies/2024/12/...

The Secretary General of Pakistan's Ministry of Food Security and Research, Ali Tahir, and the Italian Ambassador to Pakistan, Marilina Armellin, chaired the first meeting of the steering committee of the Italian development cooperation project Scale-Up OliveCulture.
The steering committee is the decision-making body of the project in which representatives of the institutions involved in the implementation of the activities participate with the aim of ensuring their coordination, effectiveness and efficiency.

The high body approved the plan of activities that Ciheam Bari, as a specialised body, will implement over the next three years with funding from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (ICAO) of EUR 3 million.
Scale-up Oliveculture aims at expanding the olive oil supply chain and fostering climate-resilient rural development in Pakistan through capacity building of Pakistani public and private actors.

The project, which incorporates funding from the Pakistani government to promote olive cultivation on a commercial scale, aims to bring economic and nutritional benefits to producers and consumers.
Finally, Ambassador Armellin and Secretary General Ali Tahir emphasised the importance of adhering to international standards to ensure high quality products, while supporting entrepreneurship, including female entrepreneurs, and the fight against desertification.

Olive oil production target set at 4,600 tons

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2517148/olive-oil-production-target-se...

LAHORE:
Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC) conducted a webinar on "Good Agricultural Practices of Olive for High Yield and Good Quality".

Pakistan, which has a large area of land suitable for growing olive trees, has been producing olive since 2010. Currently, it produces about 861 tons of table olive per year, all of which is consumed domestically.

Pakistan has set a target of producing 4,600 tons of olive oil by 2030 to substitute imports. The main areas fit for olive cultivation are Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, in addition to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Pakistan has 10 million acres of land suitable for olive cultivation, which is almost twice as much as that in Spain, the world's largest olive oil producer. The webinar was held to educate olive growers and key farm workers.

Deputy Project Director Centre of Excellence for Olive Research and Training, Barani Agricultural Research Institute Chakwal, Dr Muhammad Azhar Iqbal shared the current area and production of olive in Pakistan and the growth trend in the last 10 years.

He highlighted the nutritional value and antioxidants in olive fruit and the varieties being cultivated in Pakistan compared to global varieties.

Speaking about the domestic and global yield per acre, he briefed the audience that the soil of Potohar region in Punjab was best suited for the olive crop.

Iqbal cited the unavailability of olive saplings, agronomic practices, crop research, pre- and post-harvest issues and the lack of oil extraction facilities as major challenges. He explained the reasons of low production, impact of malpractices and lack of knowledge of the recommended production technology.

Iqbal emphasised that olive growers should adopt modern production techniques and the government should provide funds and facilities for oil extraction in different olive producing areas.

A large number of growers, processors, exporters, researchers and representatives of the academia participated in the webinar.

Pakistani Olive Oil Brand Makes History at World Competition - Olive Oil Times



https://www.oliveoiltimes.com/production/pakistani-olive-oil-brand-...

Summary
Loralai Olives, the first Pakistani brand to be recognized at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, is focused on producing high-quality olive oil through strict control over the production process, sustainable farming methods, and international quality certifications. The company’s success is expected to open new marketing and export opportunities, ultimately benefiting local farmers and the economy in rural Balochistan, while also inspiring Pakistan to become a leading force in the global olive oil industry.

With the right weather, good land and a dedicated team, Loralai Olives has made history as the first Pakistani brand to be recognized at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world’s largest olive oil quality contest.

“We dreamed of Pakistan being recognized among the leading olive-producing nations. To achieve that, it was clear that a top-class, internationally competitive brand was necessary,” said Shaukat Rasool, the chief executive and co-founder of Loralai Olives.

Spread across more than 40 hectares, the farm is planted with Coratina and Arbequina olives, chosen after years of research on what varieties would thrive in the unique terrain.



It reaffirms a belief we have carried from day one: with passion, precision, and purity, world-class quality can rise from anywhere — even from the remote hills of Balochistan.
- Shaukat Rasool, CEO, Loralai Olives
“The creation of Loralai Olives was inspired by the incredible transformation underway in Pakistan’s agriculture sector, especially through the government’s flagship initiatives promoting olive farming,” Rasool said.

“With strong public-private partnerships, millions of olive trees have been planted across the country,” he added. “The government has been actively supporting this movement by providing olive plants, modern irrigation systems, extraction facilities and storage infrastructure — laying the foundation for a thriving olive oil industry.”

For his part, Rasool chose to plant his olive trees in Loralai, Balochistan, because of the favorable soil and climate conditions, along with the elevation.

“The region’s dry, temperate climate and long sunlight hours create the perfect environment to grow olives with exceptional flavor profiles and high oil content,” he said. “However, our vision is not limited to Balochistan alone.”

“Pakistan is blessed with diverse climatic zones, offering ideal conditions for olive farming in several regions,” he added. “Alongside Loralai, we are actively working in Pothohar Plateau and other suitable areas, building a nationwide movement for high-quality olive production.”

Rasool said the key to the company’s successful production this year was maintaining strict control over every step of the process.

“Our teams continuously monitor the orchards, carefully inspecting the trees to ensure the fruit remains healthy, free from faults and harvested at the optimal stage of ripeness,” he said. “Once ready, the olives are hand-harvested with great care and immediately transported to state-of-the-art extraction mills supported by the government of Pakistan.”

“By minimizing the time between picking and extraction, we preserve the freshness, nutritional value and flavor of the olives,” Rasool added. “This meticulous orchard-to-mill approach allows us to produce extra virgin olive oil of the highest quality.”

Post-production, the oil is stored in temperature-controlled stainless steel containers to maintain freshness and quality. Rasool also works with a group company to store the oil properly until it reaches the market.

“For packaging, we only use dark-colored glass and ceramic bottles to protect the oil from light and preserve its purity,” he said. “Finally, every batch goes through lab testing to ensure it meets international extra virgin olive oil standards for acidity, purity and sensory quality.”