DG agriculture research reviews olive cultivation, modern farming initiatives in Loralai

LORALAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Mar, 2026) Director General of Agriculture Research Balochistan, Dr. Muhammad Qasim Kakar, conducted an extensive visit to Loralai district to review ongoing agricultural research and development initiatives, with a particular focus on olive cultivation and modern farming practices.

Dr. Muhammad Qasim Kakar inspected key facilities including the Agriculture Research Directorate, Katwai research farm, and the adaptive research farm.

He was accompanied by Olive Commercial Project In-charge Waris Baloch, Olive Officer Miraj Khan Dummar, agricultural experts Dr. Nauman and Arabi Awan, representatives from the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department, and Adaptive Research In-charge Muhammad Nawaz. Officials provided detailed briefings on ongoing research activities and field trials.

A major highlight of the visit was the review of olive propagation efforts and advanced agricultural research in the region. Dr. Muhammad Qasim Kakar also met with local farmers to discuss challenges such as drought conditions, water scarcity, and adoption of modern technologies to improve productivity.

Later, Dr. Muhammad Qasim Kakar met Deputy Commissioner Loralai, Meeran Baloch, who briefed him on ongoing initiatives and future plans. Among the key proposals was the establishment of a Germplasm Unit (GPU) at Katwai Research Farm to enable DNA-based verification of olive varieties, ensuring farmers receive certified, high-quality plants.

Given the region’s water shortage, officials requested the installation of two tube wells at Katwai Research Farm. The Deputy Commissioner assured that the wells would be provided under the BSDI scheme, recognizing the importance of agricultural research for regional growth.

Officials highlighted that since 2007, approximately 2.5 million olive plants have been planted across the Loralai-Zhob division through provincial and federal initiatives. Nurseries containing around 2 million plants are currently being prepared and will be distributed to farmers next year.

To support olive production, modern oil extraction machinery has been installed at the Agriculture Research Center Loralai and provided to local stakeholders, including Sardar Sikandar Jogezai, with smaller units distributed to Jabbar and Dr. Saleem. Additionally, during a recent visit by the Chief Minister of Balochistan, a new Rs130 million olive oil mill project was announced for Loralai.

Concluding the visit, Dr. Muhammad Qasim Kakar expressed appreciation for the Deputy Commissioner’s support and emphasized that continued collaboration between research institutions and local administration would play a vital role in strengthening the region’s farming economy.