PARC works out Rs 1.65b 5-year plan to cut edible oil imports
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has proposed a Rs1.65 billion five-year project to promote oilseed cultivation and reduce the country’s reliance on imported edible oil
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the project titled “The National Crop Diversification and Import Substitution Program (Oilseeds)” is planned for implementation across the country from July 2026 to June 2031.
The initiative focuses on boosting domestic oilseed production through climate-smart agriculture, modern seed systems, farmer training, and improved value chains.
According to the proposal, the program will implement cluster-based crop diversification and develop farmer field demonstration hubs and digital advisory systems to help growers adopt modern practices.
The plan also includes strengthening the national seed system through enhanced breeder, foundation, and certified seed production to improve yields and profitability of priority oilseed crops.
The initiative aligns with national priorities for agricultural innovation and growth, and is expected to contribute to import substitution by reducing edible oil imports by about 10 to 20 percent, while promoting climate-resilient crops, modern farming technologies, and sustainable land and water use.
Under the proposed deliverables, national zoning will be carried out for six oilseed crops and 10 to 15 production clusters across Pakistan. Around 20 to 50 operational model farms are expected to be set up, while cluster expansion will shift about 100,000 acres towards oilseed cultivation.
The project also envisages establishing 50 to 100 demonstration hubs of two to five hectares each, along with training programs for 2,000 to 5,000 farmers and extension workers.
The proposal further includes evaluation of around 6,000 germplasm accessions, scaling up certified seed production to between 2,000 and 5,000 tons, and setting up 10 to 15 seed multiplication farms. In addition, five to seven public-private partnership (PPP) agreements are planned to strengthen certified seed supply and industry linkages.
The project is expected to play a key role in improving domestic oilseed productivity and supporting Pakistan’s efforts to narrow its edible oil import bill through locally produced alternatives. APP
