ISLAMABAD, Oct 02 (APP):Pakistan’s PSDP Olive Project Phase-II has met its 2,700-acre drip irrigation target for 2023-26, while achieving 100% of planned adaptability trials and certification laboratory equipment targets, according to documents of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research available with Wealth Pakistan.
The project installed drip irrigation systems on 700 acres in 2023-24, followed by 1,000 acres each in 2024-25 and 2025-26, achieving the annual target in all three years.
The performance data also show that 14,237.4 acres were brought under olive plantation during the three years, equivalent to 61.59% of the cumulative target of 23,115 acres.
Plantation activity improved significantly in the latest year, with the project achieving its full 4,815-acre target in 2025-26, compared with 4,607.4 acres against a target of 11,800 acres in 2024-25 and 4,815 acres against 6,500 acres in 2023-24.
Progress was also recorded in developing the human capacity and technical infrastructure required to support olive cultivation. The project conducted 124 training programmes against a three-year target of 137, achieving 90.51% of the target.
These included 46 trainings in 2023-24, 45 in 2024-25 and 33 in 2025-26.
The project also propagated 1.91 million olive plants during 2023-26, equivalent to 68.39% of the 2.79 million target. This included 0.782 million plants in 2023-24, 0.822 million in 2024-25 and 0.304 million in 2025-26.
Another component to record full achievement was adaptability trials, with all 41 planned trials completed during the period. The project also met its target for certification laboratory equipment, completing two units against the planned two.
In post-harvest infrastructure, 15 fruit processing, oil extraction, and storage equipment units were completed against a target of 22, representing 68.18% achievement.
Meanwhile, grafting of wild olive reached about 0.23 million against the three-year target of 0.65 million, representing 35.54% achievement.
The project recorded overall annual progress of 85% in 2023-24, 78% in 2024-25 and 81% in 2025-26, according to the official performance data.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
