The Punjabi kinnow (citrus fruit from the orange family) is doing balle balle in Russia.
The Punjabi kinnow (citrus fruit from the orange family) is doing balle balle in Russia. The Russian market discovered it last year when a jet of theirs was gunned down by Turkey, the chief exporter of oranges, until then. As relations between the two countries became strained, the Russians stopped buying oranges from Turkey, and thus the kinnow entered the scene. After exporting 5,000 tonnes of it last year, Punjab is all set to witness a manifold increase in trade.
The Russians, who are fond of orange juice and have liked the fruit for its juice content and quality, have already placed orders in advance with Punjab-basedexporters and farmers for next year’s crop.
According to the general manager of the Punjab Agro Export Corporation (PAEC) Pardeep Sharma, “There is an at least threefold increase in the export of kinnows to Russia and Ukraine — we have had advance bookings for 15,000 tonnes of kinnow.”
The PAEC has, therefore, already started the process of increasing its pre-cooling and refrigeration capacity, which is essential for export, by calling a meeting of exporters and growers to discuss the modalities. There is also an effort to increase its cold storage capacity in view of the long-term export of the crop. It has also ordered 1,000 Israeli scissors, which it will distribute among farmers as it helps in better cutting of the fruit from the tree and prevents crop loss.
The kinnow is harvested between January and March annually in Punjab and is the only fruit grown on a large-scale, commercial level in the state. Encouraged by the government’s response, exporters and growers are coming together to increase the acreage under cultivation.
Agricultural experts believe that Punjabi farmers actively prefer kinnow as it is commercially viable vis-avis other fruits. It starts fruiting by the third year unlike other fruits which give fruits only in their sixth or seventh year. Also, the extreme climate of Punjab is ideally suited for the cultivation of the fruit.
