The Agriculture Department working under NWFP Governor's FATA Secretariat, with an approved cost of rupees 3.442 million, will be executing the project.
The mountains and valleys of Fata are full of wild olives and more than 10 million olive trees are available in Bajaur, Mohmand, Kurram, Orakzai, Khyber, North and South Waziristan Agencies.
According to available reports, 662,850 olive trees had been grafted till June 2004, while preparations are afoot to graft and top work on more than half a million olive trees during the current year. Besides this 30,000 improved varieties of olive plants are being distributed amongst the growers each year.
To improve vast agriculture sector, special farm centres have been set up in the tribal territories. Each farm centre has been supplied an oil extractor for extracting oil from olive fruits. Small industrial units would be established with the help of private sector when sufficient olive fruit is available for the purpose.
The proper and scientific use of new technology may save huge foreign exchange of the country spent on importing edible oil every year.