A six-member delegation of Kinnow exporters of Pakistan, headed by Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board (PHDEB) General Manager, Shamoon Sadiq, will be undertaking visit of Russia from January 24, as a part of drive launched by the PHDEB to explore new markets for Pakistani products.
During this visit, they would display Pakistani Kinnow (Citrus fruit) in two big stores each in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
All the expenses of this tour, including boarding, lodging, and rent of the space in the stores, would be borne by the visiting exporters.
"Russia imports citrus fruit worth of $250 millions per annum mainly from Morocco and Spain and our share is negligible. We may show our presence indirectly through a third, therefore the PHDEB has planned to tap this potential," said by Chairman PHDEB Afaq Tiwana and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) PHDEB, Shamoon Sadiq while talking to journalists here on Thursday.
The delegation will leave Pakistan on January 24 during which PHDEB will arrange advertisement and marketing for Pakistani products in Russia.
Shamoon Sadiq also told the newsmen that they had planned to set up a new 'apple grading plant' at Quetta.
A party having required land was ready to set up plant and the case would be sent to the ministry concerned for providing working capital from Export Development Fund (EDF), on 15th of this month. While study for revival of a grading plant near Peshawar could be used for grading of citrus, apple and other products, he added.
Afaq Tiwana who gave the overall picture of activities of his organisation said that future laid in high value crops exports and cited example of Egypt, which, despite producing finest cotton in the world had switched over to horticulture products and exports.
He said the Board was concentrating on production, logistics and marketing sides of horticulture in Pakistan. There was a need to develop all three sides.
"We have organised citrus farmers cultivating 4000 acres of land collectively in Sargodha in first phase.
After this farmers of mango and potatoes would be asked to co-ordinate for better marketing," he disclosed.
The Board is also identifying orchards, which could go in exports. Farmers of such orchards would be trained on lines that right from day one they should go to produce, which could be exported. For this purpose, the Board invited an expert from Egypt.
Afaq Tiwana stated that the Board was also exploring new markets for Pakistani products and had identified Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines and Malaysia for citrus fruits.
He disclosed that PHDEB has negotiated with Pakistan Railways to run a 'Kinnow Train' from Bhalwal to Karachi. The train would run twice a week.
He said that the Board was also working for setting up of 'cool chain' in the country to increase shelf life of the fruit and is seeking co-operation of both private and government sectors.