After ironing out a number of issues with Iran regarding their kinnow mandarin exports, it seems as though Pakistan is back on track for a bumper season.

In October Iran increased tariffs on the fruit, before dropping the hike just as suddenly in the same month.

Then in early January, Iran suspended kinnow shipments because exporters weren't using refrigerated containers, before an understanding was reached later in the month and shipping could resume.

Muhammad Iqbal, chief operating officer of the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company, told Fruitnet.com that Iran is an extremely important market for Pakistan kinnows and one the industry is keen to protect.

'Iran is seen as one of the more lucrative markets. The Iranians celebrate Nowruz and distribute a lot of fruit as gifts among friends and relatives. This coincides with the peak of the kinnow harvest in February,' he said.

'Unrest among exporters with any development that adversely impacts kinnow exports to Iran is obvious and understandable.'

This year's kinnow crop is a large one, estimated to be around 2.2m tonnes, an increase of 15 per cent on last year, and while previous kinnow crops have been adversely affected by blemishes, this year's crop looks to be in excellent condition.

'Over the past few years we've had problems with cosmetics due to rind blemishes. This year the problem was noticeably less, and hence there is less rejection of fruit,' Mr Iqbal said.

With such a high yield, exporters set themselves lofty targets and have been working hard to meet them.

'Over the past couple of years kinnow exports averaged around 200,000 tonnes. However, this year the industry has targeted exports of 225,000 tonnes owing mainly to a better harvest in terms of volume,' Mr Iqbal asserted.

However, if exporters are to realise those goals they must move quickly, with the season now predicted to finish a few weeks earlier than normal according to Mr Iqbal.

'The export season is likely to end by mid-March. The weather has started warming up and therefore prolonged holding of fruit on the tree is not advisable,' he said.

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