Punjab agro to purchase 5000 tn Kinnow from farmers

Punjab Agro Industrial Corporation (PAIC) today said it has decided to purchase 5,000 tonnes Kinnow directly from farmers for processing.
Punjab Agro Juice Ltd had been operating two multi-fruit plants at Hoshiarpur and Abohar, processing Tomatoes, Gauva and other fruits also.
Kinnow procured from the market would be processed at these plants and its juice would be bottled for marketing, PAIC Managing Director K S Pannu said.
"The state government has decided to help Kinnow growers by way of direct intervention in the market," he said.
At its five citrus estates set up in Abohar and Fazilka area, the firm would procure C and D grade Kinnow at Rs 5 per kg, he said adding that while the purchase would begin in the Abohar belt with immediate effect, in Hoshiarpur belt it would start in a week.

Pannu further said that Punjab Agro will procure 5,000 tonnes of the fruit to balance the market.
The fruit is grown in about 1.25 lakh acres in the state and production is expected to be in the range of 10 lakh tonnes, he informed.
Half of the crop has already arrived in the market. As it has a long shelf life, its arrival will continue till the onset of the summer season, he added.