Punjab government spurs Kinnow production

Many modern-age lifestyle diseases can be prevented by consuming the citrus fruit. Punjab is the highest producer of kinnow in India

The Punjab government expects that increased awareness of health benefits will give better returns and is geared up to kick-start an aggressive awareness campaign on health benefits of kinnow consumption.

The Mission Director, Horticulture, Punjab and Nodal Officer, Kinnow, Gurkanwal Singh Sahota told Business Standard that middlemen take away the sizeable part of the retail price of kinnow. Although the farmers get a decent remuneration from the fruit as compared to other crops grown in this area, the state government envisages to increase area under kinnow by incentivising farmers.

The alarming fall of water table in the state owing to consistent paddy-wheat crop rotation has hard pressed the state to motivate the farmers to diversify to other crops.

The climate and soil of semi-arid zone of Punjab is conducive for kinnow crop.

The Punjab Government is planning to spearhead an awareness campaign primarily through the media to spread awareness about the preventive benefits of kinnow.

Many modern-age lifestyle diseases can be prevented by consuming the citrus fruit that is similar to orange.

The crop of kinnow arrives in mid December, so the state horticulture department is busy drawing plans to coincide the awareness campaign with the harvest season.

Talking about the economic benefits of this on farmers, Sahota informed that the farmers get between Rs 8 to 10 per kilogram return on kinnow, that is sold at as high as Rs 60- Rs 65 per kilogram to the end user. A higher demand of fruit would help the farmers to negotiate with the private traders.

Punjab has the highest area under kinnow production(46,000 hectare) in India and close to 2200 hectare is added every year. The state registered an output of 988,000 tonnes in 2013-14.

The progressive farmers in the state have resorted to kinnow plantation and the government wants to attract more farmers.

Deepak Puri, a farmer from Hoshiarpur, who earlier exported kinnow, is now catering to domestic market only.

Sukhpal Bhullar, a kinnow grower from Abohar says that government support in mobilising demand for the fruit would encourage more farmers as it requires less irrigation and labour. Farmers want an alternative crop with lesser investment, viable return.