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<pre>Phil
Tarbela dam is still very much here though getting heavily silted. The location
of a proposed new dam is one of the most contentious issues going these days
among the various provinces in Pakistan these days.
I am located in Dera Ghazi Khan division, the Baluch tribal belt of
Southwestern Punjab. This area adjoins our cousins in Baluchistan and in the
South with Sind. Though theoretically we are part of the Punjab I am
Baluchi-speaking but spent most of my youth in the southern hemphisphere, in NZ
where I went to boarding school, later Law School and then worked in Auckland
as a banker.
These days I am farming cotton, mangoes and wheat. I have been chasing an
'olive' dream for a number of years and this year I am determined to proceed.
While there are a few wild olives (olea ferrunginea) growing in neighbouring
Afghanistan and northern Pakistan the olive is not grown for eating or
commercial purposes.
Not surprisingly, there no olives obtainable in local nurseries. When I acquire
sufficient knowledge on suitable varities I will have to import the trees from
overseas. Therefore I can't afford to make mistakes as it is going to be an
expensive proposition.
All and any help on varieties would therefore would be most appreciated!
All the best,
Maz
Phil Bramley wrote:
> From: "Phil Bramley" <
bramleyp@one.net.au>
>
> Maz, I had the pleasure of working and living in Pakistan (Islamabad) for
> three years. I met my wife at the Tarbella dam on the way to Peshawar and
> the Afghanistan border. Those were interesting days, 1978-1981, and we both
> had a great interest in travel through the North West frontier and up the
> fairly newly opened Karakorum Highway. We also enjoyed exploring the Mughal
> forts along the Jhelum.
>
> During my time in Pakistan I don't recall seeing olive trees but they must
> have been brought down by the Mughals in the 11th/12th ??? centuries.
>
> Your climate, I would have thought, would be very suitable for growing
> olives. I am not sure about those searing 50deg summer days but others on
> this discussion group should be able to tell you something about that. In
> Syria, where the temperatures get up in the 40deg on the coast and north of
> Aleppo (olive growing areas of Syria) olives thrive!
>
> What is the name of the town where you live? If you are on the Indus then
> are you in the North West province tribal area?
>
> Regards
>
> Phil Bramley
>
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