Pakistan enhances its olive industry using modern molecular science and international collaboration.

The Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFS&R) has reaffirmed its robust dedication to the sustainable advancement of Pakistan’s olive sector, employing modern genetic technology and new international collaborations to enhance production and improve plant quality.

During a high-level meeting in Islamabad regarding the Molecular Assessment of True-to-Type Characteristics of Olive Varieties and the Development of the Olive Sector in Pakistan, presided over by the federal minister for national food security, officials reiterated their dedication to the sustainable advancement of Pakistan’s olive sector, characterizing it as integral to climate resilience, rural livelihoods, and import substitution.

The minister lauded the recently conducted 7th Olive Gala 2025, deeming it a significant achievement in advancing olive cultivation in Pakistan. The government intends to enhance olive cultivation in appropriate agro-climatic regions while fortifying the full value chain, encompassing nurseries, orchards, processing, and marketing.

During the discussion, officials stated that Pakistan has achieved significant advancements in transforming marginal and uncultivated land into productive olive orchards. The subsequent priority, they stated, is enhancing the nursery system to guarantee that farmers obtain high-quality, true-to-type plants.

The meeting primarily concentrated on employing molecular and DNA-based fingerprinting to authenticate and confirm olive varieties. Officials believe that such procedures will preserve varietal purity, enhance confidence among producers, and facilitate research and innovation in Pakistan.

The National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB) has verified its technical capability to conduct molecular testing utilizing cutting-edge facilities, contingent upon the availability of reference parent material.

The government announced ambitions to enhance scientific collaboration with Italy, a prominent global producer of olives. The Ministry announced the commencement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NIGAB and the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy, facilitated by CIHEAM Bari under the OliveCulture Scale-Up Project.

This partnership will facilitate access to globally acknowledged molecular (SSR) profiles of olive varieties, supply of parental genetic material, collaborative research endeavors, and targeted training for Pakistani scientists and workers.

Italian collaborators have provided assistance in confirming Pakistan’s olive genetic resources, enhancing plant certification processes, and researching both farmed olives and native wild species, including Olea europaea subspecies cuspidata.

The minister mandated that upcoming crops be meticulously coordinated with local environmental and climatic circumstances. This initiative will introduce Tunisian olive types adapted to hotter conditions on a pilot basis in the Cholistan region, accompanied by comprehensive agronomic and climate studies.

The Ministry has also indicated that Phase III of the Promotion of Olive Cultivation on a Commercial Scale in Pakistan will be developed and submitted for approval. This phase will include novel financing structures, public-private partnerships, matching grant programs, carbon credit opportunities, and expanded pilot plantations to enhance the expansion of the olive sector.