Russia, Ukraine emerge as biggest markets for Pakistani Kinnow

Russia and Ukraine have emerged as the biggest markets for Pakistani Kinnow. Their share, in a matter of just five years, has increased from almost nil to over 100,000 tons (around 30 percent of the total exports). According to the CEO of Harvest Trading, Ahmad Jawad, both these states need smaller Kinnoe, which they consume with liquor for its strong taste and high sucrose content. Their share is increasing every year.
A study conducted by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that between January and April 2011, the citrus import volume noted in Russia reflected 29 percent increase compared to the same period in 2010. Talking to Business Recorder, Jawad warned that due to lack of adequate facilities and proper training in picking and packing, every year crop's production becomes victim of the post-harvest losses. Major post-harvest losses, he said, occur due to lack of awareness about how to deal with the fruit during picking and packing. Another factor is lack of proper storage system, which makes the fruit vulnerable to early rotting.
There is lack of proper warehouses to store kinnow and the existing storage lacks facilities as all fruits and vegetables are being kept in similar temperature under one roof, which reduces the shelf life of these fruits, Jawad said. Initiatives have been taken to encourage farmers to use proper techniques of picking and packing, he said, stressing the need for developing proper storage for kinnow preservation.
Jawad said that besides domestic consumption, kinnow has become one of the major export items among fruit groups. The fruit grows primarily in plains of Pujnab province including Sargodha and Toba Tek Singh. The share of Pakistan's citrus in the world market is as low as 1.4 percent. The low export volume of the citrus fruit is on account of lack of growing practices, which are not in conformity with international harvesting procedure leading to its lower demand.
Pakistan is ranked 13th largest citrus producer in the world with an area of 185,000 hectares, producing 2.1 million tonnes of citrus. Russia's fresh citrus imports are on the up, thanks to social and economic developments shaping in the vast country, which grows no citrus of its own.
All efforts have so far been concentrated on increasing the size and improving the look of the fruit, because Pakistan's traditional markets--Middle East and the Far East--need them. For this purpose, Pakistan needs to develop a new variety of seed that would meet the requirements of Russia, Ukraine and, possibly, other East European states. The size of the fruit can be controlled with management practices as well. But, it would be better if the country is somehow able to develop a new variety that does not grow beyond a certain size. Exporters hope to expand their share in area because of similar consumption patterns in the region. From a long-term perspective, the country needs to expand its citrus gene pool, Jawad said.