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NOWSHERA: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday launched a large-scale countrywide olive tree plantation campaign starting from Nowshera district.
The prime minister planted a sapling of olive at the model plantation site of Amangarh in Nowshera, where around 7,200 olive plants will be cultivated He visited the cultivation area where he was given a briefing about the potential of olive plantation on the occasion.
Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam and senior officials were present.
The olive tree cultivation is part of the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, under which olive trees will be planted at suitable locations across the country. Promoting olive cultivation is one of the priorities of the government aimed at making the farmer prosperous and saving valuable foreign exchange.
Speaking after launching the plantation campaign, the prime minister said planting olives can bring foreign exchange into Pakistan. He spoke about the importance of olives and said the impact of olive production will not help just KP, but all of Pakistan. He pointed out that food security is one of Pakistan’s biggest challenges.
“There was a time Pakistan was exporting wheat,” PM Khan said, adding that this year Pakistan had to import four million tonnes of wheat and also imported sugar.
“We already import edible oils like ghee and palm oils. Our biggest challenge in the coming days is how we will provide our people with food and good nutrition,” he said.
He said another challenge of Pakistan is climate change and the country’s increasing population needs to be provided with employment.
The premier then said that the 10 billion Tsunami project will protect our future generation. He urged the youth of Pakistan to contribute to the project for their own sake.
The government is giving priority to olive cultivation which will not only make the farmers prosper but also help save foreign exchange.
