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Olive Plantation in Pakistan
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ghazi52
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The Frontier Post
BEIJING (APP): China’s demand for Pakistani olive oil is high and as long as Pakistan has market demand or export demand, cooperation with China is absolutely imperative, said Zhou Ning, Marketing Director at Green Organic Food.
In addition to market, Pakistani farmers need Chinese agricultural technology and investment. Syed Yousaf Ali, a farmer with a 100-acre estate said that he is now using a Chinese machine that picks olives of different sizes. “Compared with other agricultural machines around the world, Chinese machines are inexpensive.”
Farhan Pasha, the scientific officer in charge of the olive program at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute, on the other hand, talking to China Economic Net (CEN) hoped to cooperate with China in terms of cold-pressing technology, pest control and other agricultural technologies.
Against the backdrop of successful cultivation of cash crops such as chili peppers, a joint venture between China and Pakistan for olive cultivation and processing is also a viable solution. Dr. Ramzan Ansari believes that it would be a win-win result for both countries if they receive assistance from China and start production here.
On a macro level, the cooperation between the two countries in the olive industry holds even greater potential. Dr. Ramzan Ansari suggested that some areas with high agricultural potential, including the Potohar region, could become exclusive agricultural zones under the China Pakistan Economic Corridoor (CPEC).
Pakistan’s nascent olive oil industry, although a late starter, has played a visible role in Pakistan’s food security and even economic recovery, as Inam ul Haq said, “If we can stop importing olive oil and make ourselves self-sufficient, then it will be an olive revolution for us. “
Pakistan’s annual vegetable oil consumption amounts to 5 million tons, while the share of some less-consumed vegetable oils such as mustard oil is about 400,000 tons. Thirty percent of the demand is satisfied by domestically produced oilseeds, while the remaining seventy percent is met by imports. Due to the increase in import prices, it is a severe test for Pakistan’s foreign trade deficit and foreign exchange reserves.
Pakistan, which has a large area of land suitable for growing olive trees, has been producing olive oil since 2010 with the help of countries such as Italy and Spain. Currently, it produces about 1,500 tons of olive oil and 830 tons of table olives per year, all of which are consumed domestically. Pakistan has set a target of producing 16,000 tons of olive oil by 2027.
Syed Yousaf Ali has been growing olives since 2006. In his opinion, the olive tree has low requirements of land.
Another farmer, Malik Shafiq, described the olive tree as a “tough plant”. It was an uneven wasteland when he started planting it a decade ago. “It is not affected by the worst weather conditions. It can grow in the wasteland, and the cost is half that of other crops.”
Farhan Pasha said that the main areas in Pakistan 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 Spain, the world’s largest olive oil producer. As olive trees are able to survive in dry, arid conditions not fit for other crops normally, they don’t compete with other fruit trees, grain crops or oil crops in these areas.
To encourage olive cultivation, the Pakistani government has planned to issue olive oil marketing and branding certification to the private sector. The goal of it is to plant over 50,000 acres in the country by 2022. Now, Pakistan is the only South Asian country to be included in the International Olive Council.
Inam ul Haq, who works as a horticulturist at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute in Chakwal, said that the local government has spared no efforts to subsidize olive cultivation. “Since 2015, the Punjab government has been providing subsidies to local gardeners to turn the Potohar region into ‘Olive Valley’, that is, providing olive saplings free of charge for plantation.”
In the past five years, nearly 1.4 million olive trees have been planted in Potohar region, covering almost 9,000 acres of land. The project has made use of less fertile and undeveloped land. In addition, the government has offered up to 70% subsidy on the installation of solar power systems and nearly 60% subsidy on drip irrigation systems, with an estimated 800 families getting benefits and turning their less fertile land into olive groves.
The government has also provided 50% subsidy to agricultural machines that may be needed during harvest seasons, such as shakers.
The advantages of growing olive trees are obvious. On the one hand, they can meet local demand for edible oil while reduce trade deficit, on the other hand, they mitigate climate change and effectively address the challenge of water security. It is no wonder that provincial governments have introduced subsidies to encourage olive cultivation.
Due to its favorable climate and geographical location, the quality of olive fruit produced in Pakistan is among the best around the world despite its late start.
According to Inam ul Haq, the quality of olive oil produced locally in Pakistan is almost the same as that of well-established olive producing countries. Farhan Pasha said that Pakistani olive oil from Quetta won the highest grade at a recent competition held in Italy.
At present, there are several traditional methods used in the harvesting of olive fruits, including knocking, hand harvesting and chemical ripening harvesting. In Pakistan, hand harvesting is mainly adopted. We’ve seen other countries have adopted mechanical harvesting, but we haven’t,” said Malik Shafiq.
Dr. Ramzan Ansari, who is in charge of olive research at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute, sees agricultural machines are what Pakistan lacks.
“Marketing is a completely different sector. A farmer can’t do everything by himself. What he can do is either marketing the product or adding value by processing the fruit. If business investors enter this sector and do value-added production and then marketing, it can make positive contribution to this sector and the society,” Syed Yousaf Ali said.
Pakistani olive oil farmers eying cooperation with China
The Frontier Post
BEIJING (APP): China’s demand for Pakistani olive oil is high and as long as Pakistan has market demand or export demand, cooperation with China is absolutely imperative, said Zhou Ning, Marketing Director at Green Organic Food.
In addition to market, Pakistani farmers need Chinese agricultural technology and investment. Syed Yousaf Ali, a farmer with a 100-acre estate said that he is now using a Chinese machine that picks olives of different sizes. “Compared with other agricultural machines around the world, Chinese machines are inexpensive.”
Farhan Pasha, the scientific officer in charge of the olive program at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute, on the other hand, talking to China Economic Net (CEN) hoped to cooperate with China in terms of cold-pressing technology, pest control and other agricultural technologies.
Against the backdrop of successful cultivation of cash crops such as chili peppers, a joint venture between China and Pakistan for olive cultivation and processing is also a viable solution. Dr. Ramzan Ansari believes that it would be a win-win result for both countries if they receive assistance from China and start production here.
On a macro level, the cooperation between the two countries in the olive industry holds even greater potential. Dr. Ramzan Ansari suggested that some areas with high agricultural potential, including the Potohar region, could become exclusive agricultural zones under the China Pakistan Economic Corridoor (CPEC).
Pakistan’s nascent olive oil industry, although a late starter, has played a visible role in Pakistan’s food security and even economic recovery, as Inam ul Haq said, “If we can stop importing olive oil and make ourselves self-sufficient, then it will be an olive revolution for us. “
Pakistan’s annual vegetable oil consumption amounts to 5 million tons, while the share of some less-consumed vegetable oils such as mustard oil is about 400,000 tons. Thirty percent of the demand is satisfied by domestically produced oilseeds, while the remaining seventy percent is met by imports. Due to the increase in import prices, it is a severe test for Pakistan’s foreign trade deficit and foreign exchange reserves.
Pakistan, which has a large area of land suitable for growing olive trees, has been producing olive oil since 2010 with the help of countries such as Italy and Spain. Currently, it produces about 1,500 tons of olive oil and 830 tons of table olives per year, all of which are consumed domestically. Pakistan has set a target of producing 16,000 tons of olive oil by 2027.
Syed Yousaf Ali has been growing olives since 2006. In his opinion, the olive tree has low requirements of land.
Another farmer, Malik Shafiq, described the olive tree as a “tough plant”. It was an uneven wasteland when he started planting it a decade ago. “It is not affected by the worst weather conditions. It can grow in the wasteland, and the cost is half that of other crops.”
Farhan Pasha said that the main areas in Pakistan 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 Spain, the world’s largest olive oil producer. As olive trees are able to survive in dry, arid conditions not fit for other crops normally, they don’t compete with other fruit trees, grain crops or oil crops in these areas.
To encourage olive cultivation, the Pakistani government has planned to issue olive oil marketing and branding certification to the private sector. The goal of it is to plant over 50,000 acres in the country by 2022. Now, Pakistan is the only South Asian country to be included in the International Olive Council.
Inam ul Haq, who works as a horticulturist at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute in Chakwal, said that the local government has spared no efforts to subsidize olive cultivation. “Since 2015, the Punjab government has been providing subsidies to local gardeners to turn the Potohar region into ‘Olive Valley’, that is, providing olive saplings free of charge for plantation.”
In the past five years, nearly 1.4 million olive trees have been planted in Potohar region, covering almost 9,000 acres of land. The project has made use of less fertile and undeveloped land. In addition, the government has offered up to 70% subsidy on the installation of solar power systems and nearly 60% subsidy on drip irrigation systems, with an estimated 800 families getting benefits and turning their less fertile land into olive groves.
The government has also provided 50% subsidy to agricultural machines that may be needed during harvest seasons, such as shakers.
The advantages of growing olive trees are obvious. On the one hand, they can meet local demand for edible oil while reduce trade deficit, on the other hand, they mitigate climate change and effectively address the challenge of water security. It is no wonder that provincial governments have introduced subsidies to encourage olive cultivation.
Due to its favorable climate and geographical location, the quality of olive fruit produced in Pakistan is among the best around the world despite its late start.
According to Inam ul Haq, the quality of olive oil produced locally in Pakistan is almost the same as that of well-established olive producing countries. Farhan Pasha said that Pakistani olive oil from Quetta won the highest grade at a recent competition held in Italy.
At present, there are several traditional methods used in the harvesting of olive fruits, including knocking, hand harvesting and chemical ripening harvesting. In Pakistan, hand harvesting is mainly adopted. We’ve seen other countries have adopted mechanical harvesting, but we haven’t,” said Malik Shafiq.
Dr. Ramzan Ansari, who is in charge of olive research at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute, sees agricultural machines are what Pakistan lacks.
“Marketing is a completely different sector. A farmer can’t do everything by himself. What he can do is either marketing the product or adding value by processing the fruit. If business investors enter this sector and do value-added production and then marketing, it can make positive contribution to this sector and the society,” Syed Yousaf Ali said.
ghazi52
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Olive revolution
Pakistan's Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project launched by the PTI government has sparked a silent olive revolution in the country.
Pakistan, now the 19th member of the International Olive Council, is producing about 1,500 tons of olive oil per year and 830 tons of table olives, according to Juan Vilar Strategic Consultants. It is also helping tackle some of the effects of climate change such as soil erosion and desertification and bringing new opportunities to farmers.
Pakistan has the potential to be a world leader in olive production.
PTI's Ten Billion Tree Tsunami initiative has spurred rapid olive cultivation in Pakistan with the import of 100,000 olive seedlings from top olive producing countries like Spain, Italy and Turkey. Pakistan’s climate is conducive for olive production, as the olive trees grow fast in regions with moderate winters following long hot summers.
Source: South Asia Investor Review.
Olive revolution
Pakistan's Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project launched by the PTI government has sparked a silent olive revolution in the country.
Pakistan, now the 19th member of the International Olive Council, is producing about 1,500 tons of olive oil per year and 830 tons of table olives, according to Juan Vilar Strategic Consultants. It is also helping tackle some of the effects of climate change such as soil erosion and desertification and bringing new opportunities to farmers.
Pakistan has the potential to be a world leader in olive production.
PTI's Ten Billion Tree Tsunami initiative has spurred rapid olive cultivation in Pakistan with the import of 100,000 olive seedlings from top olive producing countries like Spain, Italy and Turkey. Pakistan’s climate is conducive for olive production, as the olive trees grow fast in regions with moderate winters following long hot summers.
Source: South Asia Investor Review.
Sulman Badshah
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Zhob is beautiful and mainly a greener area in contrast to many other Balochistan area
ghazi52
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,.,.,.,.
Sees potential in Pakistan to improve olive production, make exports
APP
June 20, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese on Sunday said that Italy was playing a vital role in promoting “olive culture” in Pakistan for improving the olive value chain.
Talking to APP, the ambassador said Pakistan had all the potential to cultivate olive and Italy would cooperate with the South Asian nation with an assistance of €1.5 million.
He elaborated that the olive culture meant the supply value chain and processing, without which development in the sector would not be easy. Replying to a question, the envoy revealed that the “olive culture” project worth €1.5 million would be executed over a period of 26 months in suitable areas by Ciheam Bari International in cooperation with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research through the Pakistan Oilseed Department.
“It represents the continuation of all work done by Italy in the past, with a holistic approach encompassing all stages and stakeholders,” he said.
The ambassador was of the view that Pakistan had a lot of potential for olive production and it could earn foreign exchange by increasing the olive output and using it for commercial purposes.
Calling the quality of Italian olive the best in the world, he suggested that Pakistan could import olive from Italy. Olives are an integral part of the entire Mediterranean civilisation without which life and culture will be incomplete.
The envoy stressed that Italy had always supported Pakistan’s journey in the field and “we are happy to continue with the aim of developing a sustainable, modern and rich olive culture.”
He said it would not only provide quality edible oil for the people in Pakistan but would also help reduce the import bill. Rather, “we look forward to the times when Pakistan would be among the leading olive producing and exporting countries in the world”.
Talking to APP, Ciheam Bari International Olive Culture Project Coordinator Marco Marchetti said that there was a need to work more on the olive supply chain in Pakistan, as the lack of which could not reap the benefits.
He pointed out that the consumption of edible oil in Pakistan was 4.5 million tons, for which the market needed to introduce the best olive oil for human health.
Marchetti underscored the need for introducing technology, including creating awareness among farmers, for the promotion of olive oil culture. “There is a need to reduce the cost of production in the olive supply value chain with the acquisition of technology and to give opportunities to the local farmers to sell olive in the market at a good price,” he said.
“Olive culture has been around for thousands of years in Italy, where we have been associated with the Mediterranean civilisation and where olives have been cultivated for thousands of years.” Marchetti called on the organisations and institutions related to the local agriculture to pay special attention to the promotion of olives.
Qualified human resources, technical assistance, quality and safety standards, reference laboratories for oil certification and phytosanitary labs are very much needed in Pakistan to establish a full value chain of safe and highly nutritious tasty food that improves health dramatically. He emphasised that olive contributed to mitigating the impact of climate change as a smart tree against soil erosion and water consumption, inducing a low carbon footprint.
“These are added value benefits in Pakistan, which has the potential to be a world leader in olive production,” he said. The Italian technical assistance for Pakistan started 40 years ago with the adaptive research schemes to assess the viability of modernised cultivation of the crop (in the 1980s and 1990s).
It was followed by the launch of first significant olive crop investment (2012-15) through the Pakistan Italian Debt Swap Agreement, resulting in 2,000 hectares of plantation in the marginal and wastelands. In 2016, the olive cultivation was introduced in the Programme for Poverty Reduction, sponsored by the Italian government and executed by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), through which three oil extraction units were being established on a public-private partnership basis with the farming communities.
Recently, in March 2022, a key project called “Olive Culture Holistic and Multi-Professional Mechanism for Pakistani Olive Oil Value Chain” has been launched.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2022.
Italy promotes olive culture with €1.5m project
Sees potential in Pakistan to improve olive production, make exports
APP
June 20, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese on Sunday said that Italy was playing a vital role in promoting “olive culture” in Pakistan for improving the olive value chain.
Talking to APP, the ambassador said Pakistan had all the potential to cultivate olive and Italy would cooperate with the South Asian nation with an assistance of €1.5 million.
He elaborated that the olive culture meant the supply value chain and processing, without which development in the sector would not be easy. Replying to a question, the envoy revealed that the “olive culture” project worth €1.5 million would be executed over a period of 26 months in suitable areas by Ciheam Bari International in cooperation with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research through the Pakistan Oilseed Department.
“It represents the continuation of all work done by Italy in the past, with a holistic approach encompassing all stages and stakeholders,” he said.
The ambassador was of the view that Pakistan had a lot of potential for olive production and it could earn foreign exchange by increasing the olive output and using it for commercial purposes.
Calling the quality of Italian olive the best in the world, he suggested that Pakistan could import olive from Italy. Olives are an integral part of the entire Mediterranean civilisation without which life and culture will be incomplete.
The envoy stressed that Italy had always supported Pakistan’s journey in the field and “we are happy to continue with the aim of developing a sustainable, modern and rich olive culture.”
He said it would not only provide quality edible oil for the people in Pakistan but would also help reduce the import bill. Rather, “we look forward to the times when Pakistan would be among the leading olive producing and exporting countries in the world”.
Talking to APP, Ciheam Bari International Olive Culture Project Coordinator Marco Marchetti said that there was a need to work more on the olive supply chain in Pakistan, as the lack of which could not reap the benefits.
He pointed out that the consumption of edible oil in Pakistan was 4.5 million tons, for which the market needed to introduce the best olive oil for human health.
Marchetti underscored the need for introducing technology, including creating awareness among farmers, for the promotion of olive oil culture. “There is a need to reduce the cost of production in the olive supply value chain with the acquisition of technology and to give opportunities to the local farmers to sell olive in the market at a good price,” he said.
“Olive culture has been around for thousands of years in Italy, where we have been associated with the Mediterranean civilisation and where olives have been cultivated for thousands of years.” Marchetti called on the organisations and institutions related to the local agriculture to pay special attention to the promotion of olives.
Qualified human resources, technical assistance, quality and safety standards, reference laboratories for oil certification and phytosanitary labs are very much needed in Pakistan to establish a full value chain of safe and highly nutritious tasty food that improves health dramatically. He emphasised that olive contributed to mitigating the impact of climate change as a smart tree against soil erosion and water consumption, inducing a low carbon footprint.
“These are added value benefits in Pakistan, which has the potential to be a world leader in olive production,” he said. The Italian technical assistance for Pakistan started 40 years ago with the adaptive research schemes to assess the viability of modernised cultivation of the crop (in the 1980s and 1990s).
It was followed by the launch of first significant olive crop investment (2012-15) through the Pakistan Italian Debt Swap Agreement, resulting in 2,000 hectares of plantation in the marginal and wastelands. In 2016, the olive cultivation was introduced in the Programme for Poverty Reduction, sponsored by the Italian government and executed by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), through which three oil extraction units were being established on a public-private partnership basis with the farming communities.
Recently, in March 2022, a key project called “Olive Culture Holistic and Multi-Professional Mechanism for Pakistani Olive Oil Value Chain” has been launched.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2022.
ghazi52
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Pakistan is fast losing its forests cover. In 2010, it had 648kha of tree cover, extending over 0.74% of its land area. It lost 63.2ha of tree cover, equivalent to 23.5kt of CO2 emissions in 2021, according to a Global Watch report. Forests fires have reduced KP’s green cover further. According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department, 14,300 acres of forests were burnt from recent fires in the province.
To offset this destruction, experts urge people in Pakistan to consider grafting to generate money from these trees. “This will not only save our forests from being cut down, but provide a sustainable food chain, create jobs for hundreds of thousands of people and reduce dependence on oil imports,” said Dr Abdur Rahman, Project Director at the Agriculture Research Center, Tarnab Peshawar.
The research center estimates that there are over 50 million wild olive trees in Malakand division alone, which if grafted, could help Pakistan generate millions of dollars. Pakistan ranks among the top five edible oil importing countries, despite having the potential to produce its own product. According to the Bank of Pakistan’s data, Pakistan spent $4 billion during the 2021 importing edible oil. Pakistan imports 75 percent of its edible oil to meet the country’s demand, of which 94 percent is palm oil, most of it coming from Malaysia.
Pakistan also imports 2.2 million tons of oil seeds every year. Rahman said edible oil seed production is disappointingly low. “Our oil seed production is less than 27 percent.” Pakistan imports canola, sunflower, soybean and olive oil. Canola oil is imported from Canada and Australia, sunflower oil from Ukraine and Russia, and soybean oil from the United States and Argentina.
The government launched a ‘Green Revolution’ in 1960s to increase grain production to meet food demands of the growing population and make the country self-sufficient. It introduced modern techniques, seeds, fertilisers and seeds. As a result, the country’s wheat production increased by 25 percent between 1961-69. To promote olive cultivation on a commercial scale, the government set olive farms in Shinkairi, Abbottabad, Mansehra and Malakand division.
Currently, the Federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments are focusing on the promotion of cultivation of olive plants at the commercial scale. The federal government has distributed over 70,000 olive plants among farmers. However, lack of facilities, poverty and urbanization and lack of awareness regarding the importance of forests is making it hard for these programs to take off.
Hurdles for farmers
“People chop and use wild olive as fodder for animals and fuelwood at homes because this is the only option they have,” said Engr Fida, a resident of Maidan area in the Dir Lower district. He said people have no option but to cut them -- they can’t afford the costly cylinder to refill fuel every few days. Without these crops he said they also can’t arrange fodder for their cattle, which is a lifeline for many.
According to World Wildlife Fund, Pakistan has 4.54 million hectares of land with forest cover, which is well below the recommended threshold of 25 percent. Pakistan loses 0.2 to 0.5 percent of its forests every year, which it is losing sources to store greenhouse gases from the environment. In a report by Justice Jawad Hasan of the Lahore High Court, citing the National Environmental Information System, found that forest cover had reduced from 3.59 million hectares to 3.32 million hectares.
The massive deforestation due to highest rate of deforestation, unplanned urban sprawl, lack of facilities and negligence on part of policy makers has rendered Pakistan vulnerable to climate change.
The German Watch has ranked Pakistan among top ten countries globally most affected by climate change in last 20 years. In its report 2020 report, Climate Risk Index, found that Pakistan has suffered massive economic losses and witnessed extreme weather, floods, droughts and heatwaves since 1999.
An assessment from the Asian Development Bank found the socio-economic costs of environmental degradation is $7 to $14 billion per year. Keeping in view the worsening climate, rising levels of greenhouse gases, droughts, heatwaves and sudden rains inflicting unprecedented damage to infrastructure, experts call for adopting environment-friendly steps and strategies.
“We should save our forests from deforestation [and] plant trees with highest carbon sequestration control warming,” said Professor Dr Hizbullah Khan from the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar. He lamented that government and residents are resorting to planting non-native trees in an attempt to recover the greenery that has been lost. These strategies are doing more harm to the environment then what the government had expected.
Dr Haroon Khan, head of the Climate Change Cell, at Agriculture University Peshawar, said people were planting Eucalyptus trees, which are not only lowering groundwater levels but rendering the mountains dry. “This is a non-native tree that is taking a toll on local flora and fauna. It doesn’t allow other plants to grow due to which native trees that were panacea to deteriorating environmental have almost lost,” he said.
Industry potential
Wild olives are found in Swat, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Shangla, Bajauar, North and South Waziristan, Kurram, Abbottabad, Mansehra and parts of Chitral. “It has great potential, that not only rid the province of unemployment but provide quality olive oil at cheap rate apart from reducing import bill,” said Israr Khan, a resident of Talash area of Dir Lower district. Khan has learned grafting techniques under a programme financed by the Pakistan Oil Seed Development Board and has grafted over 0.4 million wild olives so far in his hometown.
Aware of the opportunities the olive industry can offer, he said broken dry wood can be used for small industry like toymaking and can generate millions. He said he is aware of the challenges grafting entail; it takes three to four years for an olive plant to start giving fruits and most farmers are poor who cannot wait so long. However, if this industry can save over four billion dollars annually in imports, spending a few billion rupees to provide facilities and assistance to protect wild olive forests by grafting would be worth it for Pakistan, he said.
Khan is optimistic about the growth and transformation of the sector. He believes it has the potential to provide jobs to thousands of poverty-stricken farmers if they can set up olive nurseries and learn to graft. In the meantime, processing and packing plants can be set up. The government is already targeting culturable waste lands, said Rahman, and so far they have planted quality olive seeds on 11,000 hectares of land. The target for the project is 1.2 million trees and the government has identified 10.17 million hectares of waste land to use for cultivation.
“We do not encourage planting olive on fertile land and in areas where water in is abundance,” Rahman said. Land that is marginal and unable to grow wheat is preferred for olive plantation. “As many as 134 trees are planted on one acre of land that give around two tons of seeds from which 200 to 300 litres of high-quality oil can be extracted.”
The federal government has also installed a processing plant at different parts of KP to facilitate farmers at the center in Peshawar. Plants are also being set up privately in Malakand division. Plants are being imported from Italy and Spain which also providing technical assistance to promote plantation and grafting of olives.
“Olive trees requires less water, care and with highest carbon sequestration ratio,” said Said Ahmad, Chief Planning Officer, Agricultural Department. Keeping in view potential of the country, the International Olive Council has recently granted full membership to Pakistan. If these 70 million wild olives are grafted, the whole nation will harvest its dividends for centuries.
Fawad Ali is a freelance writer. All information and facts provided are the sole responsibility of the writer.
Pakistan is fast losing its forests cover. In 2010, it had 648kha of tree cover, extending over 0.74% of its land area. It lost 63.2ha of tree cover, equivalent to 23.5kt of CO2 emissions in 2021, according to a Global Watch report. Forests fires have reduced KP’s green cover further. According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department, 14,300 acres of forests were burnt from recent fires in the province.
To offset this destruction, experts urge people in Pakistan to consider grafting to generate money from these trees. “This will not only save our forests from being cut down, but provide a sustainable food chain, create jobs for hundreds of thousands of people and reduce dependence on oil imports,” said Dr Abdur Rahman, Project Director at the Agriculture Research Center, Tarnab Peshawar.
The research center estimates that there are over 50 million wild olive trees in Malakand division alone, which if grafted, could help Pakistan generate millions of dollars. Pakistan ranks among the top five edible oil importing countries, despite having the potential to produce its own product. According to the Bank of Pakistan’s data, Pakistan spent $4 billion during the 2021 importing edible oil. Pakistan imports 75 percent of its edible oil to meet the country’s demand, of which 94 percent is palm oil, most of it coming from Malaysia.
Pakistan also imports 2.2 million tons of oil seeds every year. Rahman said edible oil seed production is disappointingly low. “Our oil seed production is less than 27 percent.” Pakistan imports canola, sunflower, soybean and olive oil. Canola oil is imported from Canada and Australia, sunflower oil from Ukraine and Russia, and soybean oil from the United States and Argentina.
The government launched a ‘Green Revolution’ in 1960s to increase grain production to meet food demands of the growing population and make the country self-sufficient. It introduced modern techniques, seeds, fertilisers and seeds. As a result, the country’s wheat production increased by 25 percent between 1961-69. To promote olive cultivation on a commercial scale, the government set olive farms in Shinkairi, Abbottabad, Mansehra and Malakand division.
Currently, the Federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments are focusing on the promotion of cultivation of olive plants at the commercial scale. The federal government has distributed over 70,000 olive plants among farmers. However, lack of facilities, poverty and urbanization and lack of awareness regarding the importance of forests is making it hard for these programs to take off.
Hurdles for farmers
“People chop and use wild olive as fodder for animals and fuelwood at homes because this is the only option they have,” said Engr Fida, a resident of Maidan area in the Dir Lower district. He said people have no option but to cut them -- they can’t afford the costly cylinder to refill fuel every few days. Without these crops he said they also can’t arrange fodder for their cattle, which is a lifeline for many.
According to World Wildlife Fund, Pakistan has 4.54 million hectares of land with forest cover, which is well below the recommended threshold of 25 percent. Pakistan loses 0.2 to 0.5 percent of its forests every year, which it is losing sources to store greenhouse gases from the environment. In a report by Justice Jawad Hasan of the Lahore High Court, citing the National Environmental Information System, found that forest cover had reduced from 3.59 million hectares to 3.32 million hectares.
The massive deforestation due to highest rate of deforestation, unplanned urban sprawl, lack of facilities and negligence on part of policy makers has rendered Pakistan vulnerable to climate change.
The German Watch has ranked Pakistan among top ten countries globally most affected by climate change in last 20 years. In its report 2020 report, Climate Risk Index, found that Pakistan has suffered massive economic losses and witnessed extreme weather, floods, droughts and heatwaves since 1999.
An assessment from the Asian Development Bank found the socio-economic costs of environmental degradation is $7 to $14 billion per year. Keeping in view the worsening climate, rising levels of greenhouse gases, droughts, heatwaves and sudden rains inflicting unprecedented damage to infrastructure, experts call for adopting environment-friendly steps and strategies.
“We should save our forests from deforestation [and] plant trees with highest carbon sequestration control warming,” said Professor Dr Hizbullah Khan from the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar. He lamented that government and residents are resorting to planting non-native trees in an attempt to recover the greenery that has been lost. These strategies are doing more harm to the environment then what the government had expected.
Dr Haroon Khan, head of the Climate Change Cell, at Agriculture University Peshawar, said people were planting Eucalyptus trees, which are not only lowering groundwater levels but rendering the mountains dry. “This is a non-native tree that is taking a toll on local flora and fauna. It doesn’t allow other plants to grow due to which native trees that were panacea to deteriorating environmental have almost lost,” he said.
Industry potential
Wild olives are found in Swat, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Shangla, Bajauar, North and South Waziristan, Kurram, Abbottabad, Mansehra and parts of Chitral. “It has great potential, that not only rid the province of unemployment but provide quality olive oil at cheap rate apart from reducing import bill,” said Israr Khan, a resident of Talash area of Dir Lower district. Khan has learned grafting techniques under a programme financed by the Pakistan Oil Seed Development Board and has grafted over 0.4 million wild olives so far in his hometown.
Aware of the opportunities the olive industry can offer, he said broken dry wood can be used for small industry like toymaking and can generate millions. He said he is aware of the challenges grafting entail; it takes three to four years for an olive plant to start giving fruits and most farmers are poor who cannot wait so long. However, if this industry can save over four billion dollars annually in imports, spending a few billion rupees to provide facilities and assistance to protect wild olive forests by grafting would be worth it for Pakistan, he said.
Khan is optimistic about the growth and transformation of the sector. He believes it has the potential to provide jobs to thousands of poverty-stricken farmers if they can set up olive nurseries and learn to graft. In the meantime, processing and packing plants can be set up. The government is already targeting culturable waste lands, said Rahman, and so far they have planted quality olive seeds on 11,000 hectares of land. The target for the project is 1.2 million trees and the government has identified 10.17 million hectares of waste land to use for cultivation.
“We do not encourage planting olive on fertile land and in areas where water in is abundance,” Rahman said. Land that is marginal and unable to grow wheat is preferred for olive plantation. “As many as 134 trees are planted on one acre of land that give around two tons of seeds from which 200 to 300 litres of high-quality oil can be extracted.”
The federal government has also installed a processing plant at different parts of KP to facilitate farmers at the center in Peshawar. Plants are also being set up privately in Malakand division. Plants are being imported from Italy and Spain which also providing technical assistance to promote plantation and grafting of olives.
“Olive trees requires less water, care and with highest carbon sequestration ratio,” said Said Ahmad, Chief Planning Officer, Agricultural Department. Keeping in view potential of the country, the International Olive Council has recently granted full membership to Pakistan. If these 70 million wild olives are grafted, the whole nation will harvest its dividends for centuries.
Fawad Ali is a freelance writer. All information and facts provided are the sole responsibility of the writer.
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July 24, 2022
FUZHOU, July 25 (China Economic Net)- “As one of the main olive producing areas in China, the processing industrial chain in Fujian Province is still far from perfect. The supply of high-quality olives is in short supply; besides, the by-product market also contains unlimited potential. Namely, the market space is huge.
In the future, if we can introduce excellent olive varieties from countries along the Belt and Road, including Pakistan, and carry out planting and processing technology exchanges with them, undoubtedly it will be a win-win situation,” noted Chen Rui, General Manager of Fujian Baihejiang Industrial Development Co., Ltd., in an exclusive interview with China Economic Net.
Olives in Fujian Baihejiang orchard [Photo provided to CEN]
Edible olives are rich in nutrients, providing protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other minerals. Its content of vitamin C is 10 times that of apples and 5 times that of pears and peaches. Pakistan, which has a large area of land suitable for growing olive trees, can produces about 1,500 tons of olive oil and 830 tons of table olives per year, all of which are consumed domestically. Now, Pakistan is the only South Asian country to be included in the International Olive Council. Farhan Pasha, the science officer in charge of the olive program at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute, told CEN that the main areas in Pakistan fit for olive cultivation are Balochistan, KPK and Punjab, etc. Pakistan has 10 million acres of land suitable for olive cultivation, which is almost twice as much as Spain, the world's largest olive oil producer.
Nevertheless, the cultivation and processing of edible olives in Pakistan is facing a series of challenges, which also brings opportunities for agricultural cooperation between China and Pakistan in this field.
According to Farhan Pasha, Pakistani olive growers often need to use costly imported fertilizers or pesticides when faced with pests and diseases, but this is beyond the purchasing power of most ordinary farmers. Therefore, if China provides effective measures to increase production or control pests and diseases, this will be the most ideal result. Chen put forward a specific plan for this, “Biopesticides are our best choice due to ordinary pesticides may cause soil hardening or pesticide residues. Even the most common biological materials such as well-proportioned ginger and pepper spray can have a very good sterilizing and insecticidal effect. In terms of pest control, we use breeding beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, to kill pests.”
A Pakistani farmer picking olives [Photo provided to CEN]
As for fertilizers, Chen emphasized that in most cases, his olive orchard chooses organic bio-fertilizers, such as chicken and sheep manure, which are of great help in increasing production.
At present, there are two main varieties of edible olives, in his orchard, with a total planting area of about 2,500 mu (about 166.67 hectares). In the past five years, the annual output has been about 500,000 kilograms, and the annual output value can reach 50 million yuan. Among them, Meixiang No. 2 has outstanding yield, with each tree can bear 250-400 kilograms during the annual picking season in August.
“Under the framework of CPEC, we have cooperated closely with China in many fields, so in this respect they can provide high-level support in terms of agricultural technology. At present, in our olive growing area, when the orchard is too humid due to climate and other reasons, pests always arise freely. So, if we can collaborate, we need to transform advanced technology learned from high-level agricultural jargon into easy-to-understand knowledge that can be conveyed to our farmers,” mentioned Dr. Ramzan Ansari, who is in charge of olive research at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute.
Olive by-products of Fujian Baihejiang Industrial Development Co., Ltd. [Photo provided to CEN]
Experts believe, as agriculture is one of the key sectors in Pakistan’s economy, both countries should deepen and expand cooperation in the agriculture sector under CPEC. Pakistan can adopt the latest Chinese technology for the cultivation of olive plants.
Against the backdrop of successful cultivation of cash crops such as chili peppers, a joint venture between China and Pakistan for olive cultivation and processing is also a viable solution. Inam ul Haq, who works as a horticulturist at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute in Chakwal, has included Chinese investment in his plans. “In the future we plan various joint ventures with Chinese counterparts as we can take advantage of their expertise, since the world understands their knowledge and praises them." Dr. Ramzan Ansari suggested that some areas with high agricultural potential, including the Potohar region, could become exclusive agricultural zones under CPEC.
In addition, professionals from both China and Pakistan have high expectations for the olive by-product processing industry. “Taking Fujian as an example, main olive by-products include juice, syrup, honey, preserved fruit, tea, vinegar, beverage. Among them, olive tea is made from olives and black tea with ingredients such as ginger and olive salt, which is very popular with the local people. In addition, the olives can increase the aroma of the tea, making the aroma more lingering,” Chen told CEN.
Various olive by-products from Pakistan [Photo provided to CEN]
“The processed products of olives have very high added value, such as pickled olives, olive tea, olive sugar, and the like. The residue left after processing olives can also be used for livestock feed. We can cooperate with Chinese research institutes or enterprises, and I hope our government can play an active role in policy guidance and industry support.
By now, we have introduced pickled olives to some Chinese dealers, who are very interested in it and expressed that they will seize the opportunity to promote cooperation between the two parties,” Syed Yousaf Ali, an owner of olive orchard at Sehgal farmhouse Kallar Kahar, echoed confidently.
Pak-China olive cooperation possesses immense potential
China Economic NetJuly 24, 2022
FUZHOU, July 25 (China Economic Net)- “As one of the main olive producing areas in China, the processing industrial chain in Fujian Province is still far from perfect. The supply of high-quality olives is in short supply; besides, the by-product market also contains unlimited potential. Namely, the market space is huge.
In the future, if we can introduce excellent olive varieties from countries along the Belt and Road, including Pakistan, and carry out planting and processing technology exchanges with them, undoubtedly it will be a win-win situation,” noted Chen Rui, General Manager of Fujian Baihejiang Industrial Development Co., Ltd., in an exclusive interview with China Economic Net.
Olives in Fujian Baihejiang orchard [Photo provided to CEN]
Edible olives are rich in nutrients, providing protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other minerals. Its content of vitamin C is 10 times that of apples and 5 times that of pears and peaches. Pakistan, which has a large area of land suitable for growing olive trees, can produces about 1,500 tons of olive oil and 830 tons of table olives per year, all of which are consumed domestically. Now, Pakistan is the only South Asian country to be included in the International Olive Council. Farhan Pasha, the science officer in charge of the olive program at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute, told CEN that the main areas in Pakistan fit for olive cultivation are Balochistan, KPK and Punjab, etc. Pakistan has 10 million acres of land suitable for olive cultivation, which is almost twice as much as Spain, the world's largest olive oil producer.
Nevertheless, the cultivation and processing of edible olives in Pakistan is facing a series of challenges, which also brings opportunities for agricultural cooperation between China and Pakistan in this field.
According to Farhan Pasha, Pakistani olive growers often need to use costly imported fertilizers or pesticides when faced with pests and diseases, but this is beyond the purchasing power of most ordinary farmers. Therefore, if China provides effective measures to increase production or control pests and diseases, this will be the most ideal result. Chen put forward a specific plan for this, “Biopesticides are our best choice due to ordinary pesticides may cause soil hardening or pesticide residues. Even the most common biological materials such as well-proportioned ginger and pepper spray can have a very good sterilizing and insecticidal effect. In terms of pest control, we use breeding beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, to kill pests.”
A Pakistani farmer picking olives [Photo provided to CEN]
As for fertilizers, Chen emphasized that in most cases, his olive orchard chooses organic bio-fertilizers, such as chicken and sheep manure, which are of great help in increasing production.
At present, there are two main varieties of edible olives, in his orchard, with a total planting area of about 2,500 mu (about 166.67 hectares). In the past five years, the annual output has been about 500,000 kilograms, and the annual output value can reach 50 million yuan. Among them, Meixiang No. 2 has outstanding yield, with each tree can bear 250-400 kilograms during the annual picking season in August.
“Under the framework of CPEC, we have cooperated closely with China in many fields, so in this respect they can provide high-level support in terms of agricultural technology. At present, in our olive growing area, when the orchard is too humid due to climate and other reasons, pests always arise freely. So, if we can collaborate, we need to transform advanced technology learned from high-level agricultural jargon into easy-to-understand knowledge that can be conveyed to our farmers,” mentioned Dr. Ramzan Ansari, who is in charge of olive research at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute.
Olive by-products of Fujian Baihejiang Industrial Development Co., Ltd. [Photo provided to CEN]
Experts believe, as agriculture is one of the key sectors in Pakistan’s economy, both countries should deepen and expand cooperation in the agriculture sector under CPEC. Pakistan can adopt the latest Chinese technology for the cultivation of olive plants.
Against the backdrop of successful cultivation of cash crops such as chili peppers, a joint venture between China and Pakistan for olive cultivation and processing is also a viable solution. Inam ul Haq, who works as a horticulturist at the Barani Agricultural Research Institute in Chakwal, has included Chinese investment in his plans. “In the future we plan various joint ventures with Chinese counterparts as we can take advantage of their expertise, since the world understands their knowledge and praises them." Dr. Ramzan Ansari suggested that some areas with high agricultural potential, including the Potohar region, could become exclusive agricultural zones under CPEC.
In addition, professionals from both China and Pakistan have high expectations for the olive by-product processing industry. “Taking Fujian as an example, main olive by-products include juice, syrup, honey, preserved fruit, tea, vinegar, beverage. Among them, olive tea is made from olives and black tea with ingredients such as ginger and olive salt, which is very popular with the local people. In addition, the olives can increase the aroma of the tea, making the aroma more lingering,” Chen told CEN.
Various olive by-products from Pakistan [Photo provided to CEN]
“The processed products of olives have very high added value, such as pickled olives, olive tea, olive sugar, and the like. The residue left after processing olives can also be used for livestock feed. We can cooperate with Chinese research institutes or enterprises, and I hope our government can play an active role in policy guidance and industry support.
By now, we have introduced pickled olives to some Chinese dealers, who are very interested in it and expressed that they will seize the opportunity to promote cooperation between the two parties,” Syed Yousaf Ali, an owner of olive orchard at Sehgal farmhouse Kallar Kahar, echoed confidently.
ghazi52
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The News
August 06, 2022
Islamabad : Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Project Director, Olive Promotion Cultivation on Commercial Scale in Pakistan, Ministry of Food Security and Research. has said that Pakistan spends $4 b per annum on the import of edible oil and oilseeds every year which can be reduced by cultivating olive on 4 million hectares of uncultivated land in the country that is suitable for olive production and where water can be explored.
In an interview with this correspondent, Dr. Tariq said that pruning in December and using fungicides and insecticide sprays in February are very crucial to getting better yield from olive plants. Drip irrigation helps in getting optimum production from the cultivated land. It would reduce 25 % of our olive oil imports, rather we may be able to export our olive products to the world.
The scope of olive plants can be increased as its leaves will be used in producing organic dyes for colouring food as well as leather industry thereby checking the pollution generated by tanneries. The residue obtained after extracting oil from olive fruits is rich biomass for agriculture or can serve as feeds for poultry and livestock. Oil cultivation will also stop soil erosion.
Dr. Tariq enumerated other offshoots including jobs for the people, especially in tribal areas. We can have factories producing olive pickle, olive tea, and other nutraceutical products used in cosmetics, he continued.
He revealed that NARC provides olive oil extraction services to clients with a minimum of 20 kg of fruit free of cost. There are 28 oil extraction machines of different capacities in Pakistan in the public sector while 2 units are operating in the private sector in Punjab and Balochistan.
He said in the Phase II programme, training in value-added products will be provided to develop cottage industry in rural areas. Olive has no competition with any crop as we are developing it on uncultivated land. He said the country has millions of wild olive trees we call Kahu and we have planned to graft 5 m Kahu trees this year.
In the next three years, Dr. Tariq, said we intend to plant olive saplings on 75,000 acres. Four to eight most widely adopted registered varieties in the world depending upon availability will be distributed to farmers free of cost. Different varieties should be planted for cross-pollination in every field which is essential for better yield and production, he added.
Pre- and post-harvest kits and fruit processing units will be provided to farmers on a matching grant basis, he said adding that our next target will be establishing reference laboratories to certify olive oil for export or local sale.
Plan to incentivise farmers for olive cultivation
Rasheed KhalidThe News
August 06, 2022
Islamabad : Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Project Director, Olive Promotion Cultivation on Commercial Scale in Pakistan, Ministry of Food Security and Research. has said that Pakistan spends $4 b per annum on the import of edible oil and oilseeds every year which can be reduced by cultivating olive on 4 million hectares of uncultivated land in the country that is suitable for olive production and where water can be explored.
In an interview with this correspondent, Dr. Tariq said that pruning in December and using fungicides and insecticide sprays in February are very crucial to getting better yield from olive plants. Drip irrigation helps in getting optimum production from the cultivated land. It would reduce 25 % of our olive oil imports, rather we may be able to export our olive products to the world.
The scope of olive plants can be increased as its leaves will be used in producing organic dyes for colouring food as well as leather industry thereby checking the pollution generated by tanneries. The residue obtained after extracting oil from olive fruits is rich biomass for agriculture or can serve as feeds for poultry and livestock. Oil cultivation will also stop soil erosion.
Dr. Tariq enumerated other offshoots including jobs for the people, especially in tribal areas. We can have factories producing olive pickle, olive tea, and other nutraceutical products used in cosmetics, he continued.
He revealed that NARC provides olive oil extraction services to clients with a minimum of 20 kg of fruit free of cost. There are 28 oil extraction machines of different capacities in Pakistan in the public sector while 2 units are operating in the private sector in Punjab and Balochistan.
He said in the Phase II programme, training in value-added products will be provided to develop cottage industry in rural areas. Olive has no competition with any crop as we are developing it on uncultivated land. He said the country has millions of wild olive trees we call Kahu and we have planned to graft 5 m Kahu trees this year.
In the next three years, Dr. Tariq, said we intend to plant olive saplings on 75,000 acres. Four to eight most widely adopted registered varieties in the world depending upon availability will be distributed to farmers free of cost. Different varieties should be planted for cross-pollination in every field which is essential for better yield and production, he added.
Pre- and post-harvest kits and fruit processing units will be provided to farmers on a matching grant basis, he said adding that our next target will be establishing reference laboratories to certify olive oil for export or local sale.
ghazi52
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The government has set a target to impart training to over 2,800 olive farmers and stakeholders during the tree plantation campaign for the current season for encouraging and developing olive farming in potential areas across the country.
Dr Hassan Tariq, National Project Director Olive Cultivation Program in National Agriculture Research Center has said that during the current spring tree plantation drive about 47 training programmes would be organised in different areas to familiarise farmers with international best practices for olive cultivation.
Besides, the farmers would be trained on orchard management, and value addition of the olive to enhance their farm income, whereas they would also be introduced to the latest marketing techniques, labelling and branding.
The government has set a target to impart training to over 2,800 olive farmers and stakeholders during the tree plantation campaign for the current season for encouraging and developing olive farming in potential areas across the country.
Dr Hassan Tariq, National Project Director Olive Cultivation Program in National Agriculture Research Center has said that during the current spring tree plantation drive about 47 training programmes would be organised in different areas to familiarise farmers with international best practices for olive cultivation.
Besides, the farmers would be trained on orchard management, and value addition of the olive to enhance their farm income, whereas they would also be introduced to the latest marketing techniques, labelling and branding.
ghazi52
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Southwold garden planted with some of our favourite plants
Beautiful palette of purple, greens and a touch of blue.
The iconic combination of Olive and Lavender
We supply lots of sizes of D. Longissimum as showcased above for a wonderful project in Chelsea.
Palms and Olives are natural companions
Blue grasses marry well with the Olive Tree
Best Companion Plants for Olive Trees
13 February, 2023
What are the best companion plants for olive trees?
Olive trees are an impressive standalone tree, but when selected carefully, companion plants can help to create a dramatic visual impact. They can also help to add a designer touch, enhancing the surroundings with a striking colour palette and sculptural interest. But what makes a good addition to an olive tree, and where do you start with selecting variety, size and colour? Here, we’ve put together our top plant choices that work harmoniously when planted with the majestic olive tree…
Southwold garden planted with some of our favourite plants
Companion plants
When choosing a companion plant, consider the fully grown size and colour and see if it works with your existing landscape. It’s not just about the olive tree, it’s also about the current planting structure and how best to maximise it. These are our top picks:
Beautiful palette of purple, greens and a touch of blue.
Lavender
Lavender works extremely well as a companion for olive trees due to its enchanting aroma and majestic colour. Not only this, but lavender represents purity, devotion, serenity, grace, and calmness. And its colour signifies royalty, elegance, and luxury – so we this this is an ideal neighbour to the elegant olive tree.
The iconic combination of Olive and Lavender
Dasylirion
The sensational Dasylirion Longissimum is a slow growing evergreen that’s resistant to drought and extreme weather conditions. This Mexican Grass is a stylish plant popular in modern, contemporary British gardens, much like the olive tree.
We supply lots of sizes of D. Longissimum as showcased above for a wonderful project in Chelsea.
Palm Trees
Palm trees make an excellent companion as they add an architectural edge alongside the softness of the olive tree. And like the olive tree, they’re easy adaptable, low maintenance, and can withstand hot summers and cold winters. You’ll be spoilt for choice with the wide range of varieties available!
Palms and Olives are natural companions
Festuca glauca
One of the most colourful of all Blue Fescue varieties, Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ is a wonderful dwarf ornamental grass. The intense blue of the Glauca works as the perfect colour combination to the elegant Mediterranean olive tree.
Blue grasses marry well with the Olive Tree
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