Pakistan's embassy in the United Arab Emirates is set to begin promotional events for the country's citrus products according to the embassy's commercial counsellor Bilal Pasha.

Mr Pasha said the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board (PHDEB) has organised promotional weeks for the fruit throughout the Gulf region.

An event to promote the kinnow mandarin variety has been arranged for the last week in January and will take place in LuLu hypermarkets, the UAE's largest retail chain, Pakistan's Daily Times reported.

LuLu alone imported 12,000 tonnes of Pakistan kinnows last year.

Mr Pasha said he expected a delegation of citrus growers and exporters to take part in the promotion.

Pakistani kinnows have been popular in the Middle East since their export to the region began in the early 1980's.

The Gulf market is a growing one for Pakistan fruits and increasing demand is being seen from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and others.