KARACHI: Former Chairman of FPCCI Standing Committee on Horticulture Exports, Chaudhry Ahmad Jawad, said only a small proportion of kinnow fruit is being exported annually with the figure of around 300,000 tons against the production of 2.2 million tons.
Most of the produce is sold in the local market, and, therefore, the value addition of this fruit is vital, and in this regard the Ministry of Science and Technology could play a pivotal role.
Speaking at a webinar on kinnow value addition, he said even in Sargodha, the production hub, there are only two industrial units that produce kinnow juice. Reportedly, no unit utilizes the peel of the kinnow fruit. "From peel we can produce orange oil which is a natural grease cutter for the extraction of heavy oil, and it's recyclable."
Even its pulp is not being utilized in many products such as in cosmetics. Since no industrial unit is present to utilize the fruit completely, farmers are unable to benefit from the fruit's production.
In order to establish value addition, it is essential to invite foreign investors to invest in this sector along with government's initiatives. This would not only increase the country's foreign exchange reserves, but it would also benefit the farmers who would receive their due reward for their hard work, he said. Jawad said there is a dire need for the government to take progressive measures too.
Kinnow was an asset as far as the country's exports were concerned, and the country could touch the $500-million mark through its export by simply improving the quality of the fruit, he said. He also said that the European Union was one of the most attractive markets for Pakistani fruits and vegetables because of its size and the purchasing power of its consumers.
In the European market, Pakistani citrus has an insignificant share. As a table fruit, Pakistani Kinnow's availability in the European market is irregular. Kinnow is mainly used as a raw material for juice by a few big companies in Europe, but it is not consistently imported as a table fruit.
Even in the mainstream market segment, the Pakistani Kinnow has to compete with seedless mandarin and clementine from Spain, Morocco, Argentina and South Africa. Though smaller in average size and harder to peel, mandarins from competitors are claiming a larger market share because of their being seedless.
Various institutes are conducting research to find ways to increase kinnow export, and in this regard they have succeeded in producing seedless kinnows, whose plants would be distributed among the farmers soon.
This variety of the fruit will soon be available in the market, and seedless kinnows will help expand market access to Europe, and it is equally vital for the farmers to replace the existing variety for better returns.
He also demanded of the Ministry of Railways to start a "Kissan Express" for the citrus fruit with refrigerated bogies from Bhalwal to Karachi, Quetta and Gwadar on competitive rates before the start of the fruit season so that freshness of the fruit remained intact before being hauled from the respective port.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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