Kinnow export starts with first shipment to Dubai

Russia, Iran and Indonesia being targeted as major markets.


Kashif Hussain November 11, 2011

KARACHI: Pakistan has started exporting kinnow this season with the first shipment of 56 tons to Dubai and exporters are also targeting the Indian market provided barriers are removed, a leading fruit trader says.

All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Merchants Association co-chairman Waheed Ahmed, while talking to The Express Tribune, said total export target of kinnow this year was 300,000 tons, of which around 90,000 tons would be exported to Russia, which was one of the biggest markets of Pakistan, where small size kinnow was popular.

Iran is also a big market for Pakistani kinnow, where 30 per cent of exports are made. But, according to Ahmed, these do not fetch a handsome amount because of increased illegal shipments through land route.

He said the government had set a mechanism for kinnow export to Iran, which was being violated in illegal shipments. According to the mechanism, kinnow, being exported to Iran, should be kept in temperature of one degree centigrade for 11 days to cure them of infection, if any, from fruit fly and other diseases.

In order to encourage exports, Iran slashes duty on kinnow from 45% to 4% in February every year, after consuming its own crop. In the previous season, the duty was reduced in the first week of January and in this season also the duty is expected to be cut in the same month.

Besides Russia and Iran, Indonesia will also emerge as a lucrative market for kinnow this season as Jakarta is set to scrap the import duty in January. For the last five years, kinnow export to Indonesia had been limited to around 200 to 250 containers, but this season
shipments were likely to jump to 2,000 containers carrying 56,000 tons, Ahmed said.

Discussing the Indian market, he said Delhi set a high value of Pakistani kinnow at $15 per 10 kg, which was equal to that of Australian kinnow. However, Pakistani kinnow has real value of $4 to $5 per 10 kg.

In addition to this, he said, the Indian quarantine department also created hurdles, but these were expected to be addressed following efforts to promote trade between the two countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th,  2011.

COMMENTS (3)

mirza muzaffar | 12 years ago | Reply

salam to all readers i want to export kinnow i m living in lahore pakistan i have a company and import export licence any body trually help me for searching order of kinnow thanks

Kataria | 12 years ago | Reply

one of the few successes of usaid. Instead of sending drones and davis' they can send seeds that grow such wonderful fruit. Distressing to see the damage indian NTBs do. Hopefully things will move in a positive direction and there are less such barriers to normalization.

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