Oil Seed Board Conceives Plan To Promote Edible Oil Production

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2021 ) :Pakistan Oil Seed Development board has conceived a plan in order to promote oil seed production at micro level for producing pure and hygienic edible oil for domestic consumption.

The concept is aimed at to reduce the reliance on imported edible oil as well as for saving billion of Dollars being spent on the import of different oils including palm and soyabean for tackling the domestic requirements, said Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali Managing Director of Pakistan Oil Seed Development Board and Member Plant Sciences in Pakistan Agriculture Research Council.

Talking to APP here on Friday he said that under the initiative, small farmers would be encouraged to cultivate oil seeds including sunflower, canola and mustard at least over one acre land to meet with his annual edible oil requirements.

In this regard, he said that government had already launched a scheme of incentives under which, the farmers are being provided financial assistance and technical guidance to cultivate oil seeds besides growing other crops.

Dr Ali further informed that average house hold edible oil consumption, comprising of 5 to 6 persons was estimated at 60 liters per annum, adding that promoting oil seed production at small scale could help to minimize the import bill that could be further spent on the development of sector.

PODB head informed that it was also decided that small oil processing units would be installed in order to provide oil pressing facilities and these units to be imported from China.

Meanwhile, he said that efforts were afoot to promote olive cultivation in the country and in this regard about 2.3 million olive plants would be cultivated during current season.

Average 500,000 to 600,000 olive plants per annum are being cultivated, he said adding that survey teams have also started their feasible studies in order to identify the area for coming cultivation drive.

He further informed that besides promoting olive, as many as 10 plants' producing nurseries have also been established in collaboration with public and private sectors to fulfill the local needs.

From these local nurseries about, one million plants would be obtained during this season, he said adding that these plants would be 100 percent certified by the Federal Seeds Registration and Certification Authority.