TİKA Establishes “Olive Oil Production Unit” in Pakistan

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established an Olive Oil Production Unit on the campus of the Ministry of Agriculture in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir region of Pakistan. The facility was inaugurated during a formal ceremony.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Minister of Agriculture, Serdar Mir Ekber Han; TİKA’s Head of the East and South Asia, Pacific and Latin America Department, Dursun Ali Yaşacan; TİKA’s Coordinator in Islamabad, Muhsin Balcı; officials from the Ministry of Agriculture; as well as numerous farmers and local residents.

Speaking at the ceremony, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Minister of Agriculture Ekber Han highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between Türkiye and Pakistan, recalling that Türkiye was the first country to provide aid after the devastating 2005 earthquake. He stated that the establishment of the olive oil production facility is a testament to these enduring ties.

In his speech, TİKA’s Head of the East and South Asia, Pacific, and Latin America Department, Dursun Ali Yaşacan, noted that TİKA has implemented approximately 700 projects since 2010. He emphasized that the Olive Oil Production Unit will contribute to increasing olive oil production in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The unit, established by TİKA, has a production capacity of 100 liters of olive oil per hour. It is expected to benefit approximately 5,000 farmers in its initial phase, enabling them to produce olive oil locally without the need to travel to other cities outside Muzaffarabad.