Andreas Ferrarese, the Italian ambassador to Pakistan, said Italy was investing €1.5 million in a project in Pakistan to promote olive cultivation and growth.
According to the Ambassador, Italy has always been a key partner in helping Pakistan expand olive cultivation and technical competence.
The €1.5 million “Olive Culture” project will be carried out in ideal places by CIHEAM Bari in collaboration with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) through the Pakistan Oilseed Department for a period of 26 months. It is a continuation of Italy’s previous efforts, with a comprehensive approach that encompasses all processes and partners.
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The Ambassador hosted an event to showcase Italy’s dedication of olive and olive oil and their value chain in Pakistan.
He claimed that olives have a huge amount of potential in Pakistan, and that the country might gain foreign exchange by boosting olive production and selling it.
He went on to say that fair commerce was now taking place between the two countries. Pakistan’s total exports to Italy totaled $763 million, while its total imports from the nation totaled $754 million.
Italian olives, according to Andreas Ferrarese, are the finest in the world in regards to quality.
He said that Pakistan could import olive from Italy, which were beneficial to human health.
According to him, the Pakistani business community in Italy might play a critical role in this respect.
He claimed that olives were an essential component of Mediterranean civilization, without which life and culture would be incomplete.
He claimed that olives were a unique gift of our Mediterranean civilization, and that they were an integral component of the region’s culture.
According to Andreas Ferrarese, olive is a significant part of our cuisine, weddings, and celebrations. Olives were also prized throughout the Middle East, as well as other countries and civilizations.
Olives are also mentioned in the holy religious books Quran, Gospel, and Bible, according to him.
“We are glad to proceed with an intention to create a healthy, modernized, and rich olive culture in Pakistan,” the Ambassador said, adding that Italy had always supported Pakistan’s efforts in the subject.
He claimed that it will not only offer Pakistanis with high-quality edible oil, but also improve the country’s import bill.
“We look forward to the time when Pakistan will be among the world’s premier olive-producing and exporting countries,” he said.
