Islamabad: Pakistan took a major step toward strengthening its presence in the global olive industry with the launch of the country’s first-ever specialized training programme on olive oil sensory evaluation and panel tasting at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) in Islamabad this week.
The five-day master training, inaugurated this week, represents a significant milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to align its olive sector with international standards following its recent accession to the International Olive Council (IOC).
The training programme has been designed to build national expertise in olive oil quality assessment and to lay the foundation for the establishment of Pakistan’s first Olive Oil Sensory Evaluation and Tasting Panel. The initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring that locally produced olive oil meets internationally recognized quality benchmarks, thereby enhancing consumer confidence, improving market competitiveness, and strengthening Pakistan’s position within the global olive community.
The inaugural session brought together senior government officials, development partners, technical experts, and representatives of the olive industry, underscoring the growing importance of olive cultivation and value addition in Pakistan’s agricultural landscape.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan, Ms Marilina Armellin, reiterated Italy’s commitment to supporting the development and modernization of Pakistan’s olive sector. She emphasized that Pakistan’s recent membership in the International Olive Council opens new avenues for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and market integration.
The ambassador highlighted the importance of developing local technical expertise and institutional capacity to ensure that Pakistan can effectively benefit from its participation in the international olive community. She noted that adherence to globally recognized quality standards and evaluation systems would be essential for enhancing the reputation and marketability of Pakistani olive products both domestically and internationally.
A major highlight of the event was the formal presentation of the newly approved “Pakistan National Olive Value Chain Policy Along with the Implementation Strategy and Road Map” to Ambassador Armellin. The policy has been described by stakeholders as a landmark achievement that will provide a comprehensive framework for the future development of the country’s olive industry.
According to officials, the policy is the result of several years of collaborative efforts, technical consultations, and close coordination among national institutions, international development partners, researchers, and industry stakeholders. Developed through an extensive consultative process and supported by the technical expertise of the OliveCulture Scale-Up Project, the policy reflects a collective vision for building a sustainable, competitive, and internationally recognized olive sector in Pakistan.
The document outlines strategic priorities aimed at strengthening governance mechanisms, improving quality assurance systems, promoting research and innovation, enhancing value addition, and expanding domestic and export market opportunities. It also provides a practical implementation strategy and roadmap intended to guide policymakers and industry stakeholders in achieving long-term growth objectives.
Experts believe the policy will serve as a foundational instrument for transforming Pakistan’s emerging olive industry into a significant contributor to agricultural diversification, rural livelihoods, and economic development. By creating an enabling environment for investment and innovation, the framework is expected to help the country capitalize on its growing olive cultivation potential and increase its competitiveness in regional and international markets.
The event was also attended by Ms Alia Shahid, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, who commended the substantial progress made by Pakistan’s olive sector in recent years. She acknowledged the valuable role played by international partnerships, particularly the longstanding cooperation between Pakistan and Italy, in advancing technical capacity, knowledge transfer, and institutional development.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms Shahid observed that continued collaboration between public institutions, development partners, and industry stakeholders remains essential for sustaining the sector’s momentum. She emphasized that investments in capacity building, research, and quality enhancement are creating new opportunities across the olive value chain, from cultivation and processing to marketing and export development.
Participants at the training programme expressed optimism that the establishment of a national sensory evaluation panel will significantly improve quality control mechanisms and help Pakistani olive oil gain greater recognition in international markets. The initiative is also expected to support producers in meeting IOC standards, an increasingly important requirement for accessing premium export destinations.
Pakistan’s olive sector has witnessed steady growth over the past decade, supported by government initiatives aimed at promoting olive cultivation in suitable agro-climatic regions. With thousands of hectares now under olive plantations and increasing investment in processing facilities, policymakers view the sector as a promising avenue for reducing edible oil imports, enhancing agricultural productivity, and generating income for rural communities.
The launch of the master training programme and the unveiling of the national olive value chain policy together signal a new phase in Pakistan’s olive industry development. As the country seeks to strengthen its international standing and capitalize on emerging opportunities within the global olive market, stakeholders believe that building technical expertise, ensuring quality compliance, and fostering strategic partnerships will remain central to the sector’s future success.
The five-day training is expected to equip participants with advanced skills in olive oil sensory evaluation, quality assessment methodologies, and panel tasting techniques, helping establish a robust national framework for olive oil certification and quality assurance in line with international best practices.
