Pakistan to send 100 young agricultural graduates to Italy for olive sector training

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a new initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s olive industry by sending 100 young agricultural graduates to Italy for specialised training in olive cultivation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a new initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s olive industry by sending 100 young agricultural graduates to Italy for specialised training in olive cultivation, processing, marketing and value-chain development.

The announcement was made during the launch ceremony of the Pakistan National Olive Value Chain Policy, where the prime minister highlighted the need to modernise the country’s agriculture sector and increase the value of locally produced crops.

Under the proposed training programme, selected agricultural graduates will receive exposure to modern olive-farming techniques and international practices. The programme will focus not only on cultivation but also on post-harvest handling, oil extraction, processing, branding, marketing and value addition.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan could benefit significantly from international expertise, particularly from countries such as Italy, which have developed advanced systems for olive production and processing. He emphasised that cooperation between the two countries could help Pakistan improve productivity and develop a more competitive olive value chain.

The prime minister also appreciated the contribution of farmers, researchers and exporters who have been working to expand the olive sector in Pakistan. He said their efforts demonstrated the potential of olive cultivation as an emerging area of agricultural growth.

According to the prime minister, olive cultivation has expanded to around 60,000 acres across the country. He stressed that greater support should be provided to farmers to encourage further cultivation and help transform agriculture into a stronger driver of economic growth.

Shehbaz Sharif also drew attention to Pakistan’s heavy dependence on imported edible oil. He noted that the country spends around $4 billion annually on edible oil imports, arguing that even a modest increase in domestic production could generate substantial savings in foreign exchange.

He questioned how much Pakistan could benefit if local agriculture were developed enough to replace a portion of imported edible oil. Saving even $400 million through increased domestic production, he said, would represent a significant contribution to the national economy.

The prime minister called for greater attention to other oil-producing crops as well, particularly palm oil and sunflower, saying their cultivation should be promoted alongside olives to reduce the country’s import dependence.

He further highlighted the importance of strengthening economic cooperation between Pakistan and Italy. According to the prime minister, bilateral collaboration has considerable potential in agriculture, tractor manufacturing and other sectors linked to rural and industrial development.

He said cooperation with Italy would be expanded in areas including olive production, modern processing technologies and value addition. Greater technical cooperation could help Pakistani farmers and businesses adopt international standards and improve the quality and marketability of their products.

The prime minister also stressed the importance of coordination between the federal and provincial governments. He said both levels of government would work together to provide farmers with improved facilities, technical assistance and other forms of support required to increase agricultural productivity.

The olive initiative is part of broader efforts to diversify Pakistan’s agricultural economy, reduce reliance on imported edible oil and create new opportunities for farmers, agricultural professionals and businesses. The government expects that investment in modern farming techniques, processing infrastructure and skilled human resources will help Pakistan move from traditional agricultural production toward higher-value agricultural industries.