Punjab's kinnow growers eye healthy realisations on maiden export venture

Kinnows grown in Punjab have entered the export market for the first time and kinnow growers are expecting better realisations in the coming weeks. About one milloin tonne of kinnow grown annually in Punjab used to remain confined to the domestic market, except for minuscule exports to Bangladesh.

The downing of a Russian Jet by Turkey at its border with Syria late last year and poor quality of kinnow crop in Pakistan due to climate change has opened up the floodgates for Indian kinnow growers in Russia, Ukraine and Dubai.

According to sources in Punjab Horticulture, 40 containers, each containing 26 tonne of the Kinnow, have been exported during this season. The importing countries have a demand potential of 30-40 containers in a day.

Considering the demand, there is an immense potential for kinnow exports. The Punjab Government, in collaboration with National Horticulture Mission, has been drawing plans to ramp up the infrastructure to facilitate higher volumes next year.

Pakistan has been the traditional kinnow exporter and produces close to 4 million tonne of kinnow annually as compared to 1 million tonne produced in India.

Kinnow is a citrus fruit (resembling an orange) grown mainly in semi-arid zone of Punjab and is harvested from December to February. The Director of Horticulture Punjab, Gurkanwal Singh, told Business Standard that export realisations are quite lucrative and the state government has started working on the pre-harvest and post-harvest measures in order to retain the edge in the global market.

“The international conditions are conducive for us this year but the competition is fierce. In order to have a sustainable demand by the global consumer we have started providing better extension services to our farmers and pre-cooling systems at the doorsteps of the farmers to ensure a better shelf life of the crop”.

The kinnow tree gives higher crop on alternate year. This season has been a low crop year.

“This is our maiden experience of kinnow trade in international market and we can grab a larger market share with slight improvements,” said a trader.

The export of the fruit is being facilitated by Agriculture and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority and Punjab Agro Industry Corporation.

The the opening up of overseas market may pull up prices in domestic market as the entire crop was earlier consumed by local consumers.