KARACHI: Pakistan has become a full member of the Madrid-based International Olive Council (IOC), its food security ministry said on Tuesday, in a move aimed at boosting exports to markets in the Gulf, Europe and North America.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Spain Dr. Zahoor Ahmed signed the agreement inducting his country in the IOC, whose members account for more than 98 percent of global olive production, at the Council’s headquarters in Madrid.
Pakistan will now be able to participate as a full member in the 123rd IOC session in June, while it will also gain access to international quality standards, certification systems, technical cooperation, training, and premium export markets.
“IOC membership is not merely symbolic; it is a strategic milestone that will help transform olive cultivation into a major pillar of edible oil self-sufficiency, rural prosperity, climate resilience, and high-value agricultural exports,” Pakistan’s Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain was quoted as saying.
“Pakistani olive oil now has the opportunity to compete with the finest olive oils in the world.”
Pakistan has around 10 million acres of land suitable for olive cultivation, but only 55,000 acres have been developed so far. Of the estimated 1.3 billion olive plants required, only about seven million have been planted to date, according to official data. At full production capacity, the sector could generate more than $3 billion annually through olive oil exports.
Pakistan’s IOC membership will enable its olive oil and table olives to be graded under internationally recognized standards, paving the way for Pakistani extra virgin olive oil to enter high-value markets.
“The membership will also provide Pakistani farmers, millers, and researchers opportunities for technical training, international exchange programs, scholarships, and collaborative research initiatives with leading institutions including CIHEAM Zaragoza, the University of Jaén, the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and the Olive Health Information System,” the food security ministry said.
“Pakistani olive producers will now become eligible to participate in prestigious international competitions, including the globally recognized Mario Solinas Quality Award, strengthening Pakistan’s international branding and export potential in the olive sector.”
Pakistan spends over $3 billion annually on edible oil imports, according to government data. Officials say the olive sector presents a promising alternative, especially in the northwestern and Pothohar regions, where the climate is well suited for cultivation.
Last November, Hussain announced that Pakistan had established 51 olive oil extraction units, four laboratories and had launched more than 90 startups as part of efforts to develop a profitable olive industry. In October last year, the country hosted Pakistan Olive Summit 2.0 in Islamabad, aimed at accelerating investment and innovation in the emerging olive sector.
