The Indian state of Punjab has predicted this year will see its highest ever production of the kinnow mandarin variety.

Estimates are that the state will produce an all-time high 700,000 tonnes of the fruit due to favourable weather conditions during crop flowering and increased acreage.

'Kinnow production this year is expected to be 700,000 tonnes which will be the highest ever in the state,' Punjab deputy director of horticulture Gurkamal Singh told the Press Trust of India.

Mr Singh said the total planted area stands at 39,000ha, up by 4,000ha on last year's figure.

The fruit started arriving in the market in December and will continue until March.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Pakistan's kinnow export season has started well, with around 30,000 tonnes of the fruit being shipped in the last month according to the country's Daily Times.

Pakistan's kinnow season began in November and will continue until April, with traders setting a lofty export target of 200,000 tonnes.

Traditional buyers of Pakistani kinnow include Iran, Bangladesh, Russia and the Ukraine, while Indonesia and Malaysia have recently emerged as key markets.