Third of Pakistan’s 2020 mandarin exports earmarked for the Middle East  

KARACHI: Pakistan on Wednesday set this year’s export target of kinnow mandarin at 350,000 metric tons, with a third of it earmarked for the Middle East.
As the harvest season for the high-yield local mandarin variety started in December, Pakistan is expecting to generate some $210 million from its export. Last year, kinnow exports brought around $195 million in foreign exchange, according to data from the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (PFVA).
“Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar are major export destinations which are expected to absorb 30 percent, or 105,000 metric tons, of the total exports of kinnow,” Waheed Ahmed, patron-in-chief of PFVA, told Arab News.
Demand for Pakistani fruits has increased by 12.5 percent in fiscal year 2019-20, generating $730 million — the sector’s highest ever revenue generation in terms of foreign exchange. The PFVA chief attributed the rising demand, especially for citrus fruits, to the coronavirus pandemic. Rich in vitamin C, the fruits are believed to support the immune system.
Pakistan is the world’s largest kinnow producer, but its yield often suffers quality issues. While local fruit exporters estimate that domestic production of kinnow could reach even 2.1 million tons this year, only a portion of it will be of export quality.
“The total production of kinnow is around 2.1 million ton,” Ahmed said. “However, the production of quality exportable kinnow is far less, as out of total production 75 percent production consists of grade B and C quality that can’t be exported.”
The country’s kinnow industry is worth around Rs125 billion ($781 million) and the entire economy of Punjab’s key Bhalwal and Sargodha areas depends on kinnow cultivation. Some 250 kinnow processing facilities in the region provide direct employment to 250,000 people, according to PFVA data.