CHAKWAL: In collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Punjab government will set up `Centre of Excellence for Olive Research` at Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Chakwal.

This was stated by Secretary Agriculture Punjab Mohammad Mahmood while chairing the 10th meeting of Olive Development Group held at BARI.

The meeting which reviewed the progress regarding olive valley development in the Potohar region was attended by Dr Mohammad Tariq, the director BA RI and other of ficials concerned and members of Olive Development Group.

Mohammad Mahmood, Secretary Agriculture Punjab, said that the Punjab government would provide Rs279.88 million in collaboration with USAID for the establishment of this centre.Explaining the purpose of the centre, director BARI told Dawn that this centre would offer research in pre and post harvesting of olive, besides catering to value chain of olive production in the region.

`The centre would also of fer training opportunities to olive growers and researchers,` he added.

He said the centre would start functioning af ter five years.

The Punjab government had decided to turn Potohar region into an olive valley in 2012. To accomplish its goal, the Punjab government distributes 300,000 saplings of olive annually to the farmers of the region free of cost.

So far olives have been planted on 5,500 acres of land in the region as 1,000farmers have planted olives.

Secretary Mohammad Mahmood believes that the establishment of the `Centre of Excellence for Olive Research` would play a vital role in turning the Potohar region into olive valley.

He further said that the Potoharregion possessed ideal climatic conditions and land for commercial cultivation of olive orchards.

`To translate this dream into reality, 15,000 acres were being brought under olive valley cultivation over a span of five years,` secretary agriculture claimed.

He was also briefed by scientist/ researchers that content of olive oil production in Pakistan was unique.

Secretary agriculture was also briefed about production of oil content by the factory established at BARI Chakwal for extraction of olive oil to the f armers and this f actory had extracted 19,134kg oil free of cost for farmers last season.

Mr Mahmood praised efforts of Olive Development Group for making olive valley dream into reality.

On this occasion, an MoU was signed between the Punjab government and Cholistan Institute for Desert Crop while another between the Punjab Government of and Green Revolution to promote olive development in Cholistan desert.