There has been a bright prospect of cultivation of Olive commercially in the Barind region of Rajshahi.
Farmers of Barind region can earn a huge profit by cultivating Olive without a little effort. Like mango or litchi, olive can also become an important commercial fruit for them.
In Bangladesh, two varieties of olive are found. Of those, BAU Olive-1 is commercially cultivated in some districts of the country. Moreover, there are some indigenous varieties of olive which grow without or little care at the outskirts of houses and on the elevated ground.
In our country, olive fruit is used for preparing tongue-licking pickles or for eating as a souring agent. Though, olive oil is valuable oil and a huge quantity of olive oil is imported in our country from abroad, there is no effort to prepare oil from olive here. Through extraction of oil from olive, valuable forex can be saved and our country can become self sufficient in olive oil. In the local markets, olive can be purchased at TK 80 to taka 100 per kilo. From a large Olive tree, one can harvest 150 to 200 kilo of fruit which can be sold from taka 10,000 to taka 20,000. Moreover, in a olive garden, vegetables, turmeric, Ginger, Pepper, Brinjal etc. can be cultivated as the additional crops.
While talking about the medicinal properties of olive, Hakim Shahadat Hossain Munna, Director of Kolikata Herbal Medical informed, olive oil has a wide use as a message oil and as a cooking oil throughout the world.
Agriculture Extension Department sources in Rajshahi informed, in light, sandy soil olive is grown well. It is suitable for the climate of the country.
