Since December, Pakistan has exported 125,000 tonnes of kinnow against its target of 350,000 tonnes which it aims to reach by season’s end in March/April.
Pakistan’s kinnow trade has been facing problems due to the closure of the Iran market. Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) patron in chief, Waheed Ahmed said the Iranian market takes around 70-80,000 tonnes in fruit and vegetable trade from Pakistan.
Despite this, Waheed said Pakistani kinnow exporters broke the record in 2017-18 exporting 370,000 tonnes of the fruit to a value of US$220m.
Business Recorder reported that alongside increased Indonesian trade, the opening of the Russian market was a vital part of this export success last season.
“The end of quota by Indonesia increased our exports by 80 percent,” said Ahmed. “We have to focus on research and development and encourage farmers to adopt good agricultural practices. We have to work on new varieties and develop new areas so we can expand this sector to a large extent.”
The major export destinations for Pakistani kinnow last season were Russia, the Philippines, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
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