- Forget Rice and Textiles — Pakistan’s Newest Export Star Is Olive Oil
Islamabad, May 15, 2026 (Khyber Mail) – Pakistani premium olive oil producer Loralai Olives has made history by launching operations in the United Arab Emirates, becoming the first Pakistani and South Asian olive oil company to enter the Gulf region, a milestone that marks a significant step in Pakistan’s push to develop value-added agricultural exports beyond traditional commodity crops.
The company is owned by Khaity Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd., an AI-powered agricultural platform founded by Shaukat Rasool, whose extensive experience in agriculture and the olive sector laid the foundation for the brand. Khaity’s flagship app empowers farmers through smart data, remote sensing and a digital marketplace of over 10,000 agricultural products, with over 20,000 registered users. The Loralai Olives brand — named after the olive-growing district of Loralai in
Balochistan — was built on a singular vision: to put Pakistan on the global olive oil map.
The company’s farm spans more than 40 hectares planted with Coratina and Arbequina olive varieties, chosen after years of research into what varieties would thrive in Loralai’s unique terrain. Rasool chose Balochistan for its dry, temperate climate and long sunlight hours, which produce exceptional flavour profiles and high oil content. In addition, the company sources olives from orchards spread over 50 hectares in the Chakri village of Rawalpindi, as well as from farmers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Pothohar Plateau — each region contributing a distinct character to the oil.
Production is conducted with precision. The 2024/25 crop year yielded 4,500 litres of extra virgin olive oil, with each batch tested for purity, acidity and sensory quality before being sealed in light-protected bottles. LO uses government extraction facilities in Loralai, milling olives within six to eight hours of harvesting to preserve oil quality — a critical factor in producing premium extra virgin olive oil. The company currently extracts around 10 tons of olive oil per season, with a target of scaling to 25 to 30 tons in the near term.
Loralai Olives’ international credentials are firmly established. In 2025, it became the first-ever Pakistani and South Asian extra virgin olive oil brand to win a silver award at the prestigious New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC) — considered the gold standard for olive oil excellence globally, judging entrants on purity, aroma and flavour by a jury of international experts. More than 1,200 brands from leading olive-producing countries participated. The company holds international certifications including ISO 9001, ISO 22000, HACCP and Halal. Pakistan’s National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain described the award as “a testament to the dedication of Pakistani farmers, researchers, and young innovators who are shaping the future of the olive industry.”
“We’re proud to be Pakistan’s first olive oil brand recognised at NYIOOC,” said Rasool. “This isn’t just a win for us, it’s a win for the entire country. It proves that world-class quality can rise from anywhere — even from the remote hills of Balochistan.”
The UAE launch is strategically well-timed. The Gulf nation is home to more than 1.6 million Pakistanis — a ready consumer base with strong cultural familiarity with Pakistani products — and is one of the world’s fastest-growing olive oil markets, projected to reach $404 million by 2030. The company aims to begin with initial exports of $100,000 before scaling shipments to $500,000 by the end of 2026 through retail and distribution partnerships. The UAE launch features three extra virgin olive oil varieties: Fajr, Arbequina and Frantoio.
Loralai Olives currently sells domestically through Facebook, WhatsApp and social media platforms. With the UAE entry, the company is now transitioning into formal international retail channels, with plans to expand further into other GCC states, Europe, the United States, China and Japan. CEO Rasool has set a company target of exporting over 200 tons of Pakistani olive oil annually within five years, aiming to tap into the estimated $15 billion global olive oil export market.
Rasool describes China as a particularly attractive opportunity, noting the country imports olive oil worth more than $300 million annually and has a rapidly growing health-conscious consumer base. He sees Chinese cooperation in trade networks, logistics and investment capacity as a potential accelerator that could help Pakistani producers scale faster and open export corridors beyond China itself.
The launch comes as Pakistan’s broader olive sector gains momentum under government-backed initiatives aimed at reducing the country’s annual edible oil import bill — currently more than $3 billion. The government has established 51 olive extraction units, 14 nurseries and four quality laboratories across the country, along with more than 90 olive-based startups. Pakistan has a national olive oil production target of 4,600 tons by 2030.
Pakistan has an estimated 10 million acres of land suitable for olive cultivation — nearly twice the area of Spain — but only around 55,000 acres have been developed so far. If 10 million fruit-bearing trees are planted over the next five years, analysts estimate the country could export olive oil worth up to $2 billion annually.
Rasool said the mission extends beyond commerce. “Our success has motivated many farmers to take pride in their work and adopt modern olive farming practices,” he said. “LO is deeply committed to engaging with local communities through continuous training, knowledge-sharing and collaboration to improve cultivation techniques, enhance quality standards, and maximise yields — building a sustainable, climate-resilient rural economy that brings stable incomes and long-term prosperity to local communities.”
“We came to introduce the world to places and flavors it has never encountered,” he added. “The hills of Loralai, the valleys of Pothohar, the orchards of KPK — these lands have a voice. Loralai Olives is how that voice reaches the world.”