SARGODHA: Citrus Research Institute (CRIS) District Director Altaf-ur-Rehman Friday said the institute was striving hard to improve the quality and production of kinnow by introducing modern techniques.
The improved quality would help enhance export of the kinnows, he said while talking to APP on Friday. He said during the current season the citrus produce was satisfactory.
He said the CRI experts were counselling the farmers on the modern technology to improve the quality of citrus, which would help generate foreign exchange due to increased exports. He said the demand for Pakistani citrus was on the rise across the globe. The volume of citrus being exported to Malaysia and Indonesia would enhance this year as it would continue till April, he added.
He said Russia was a huge kinnow market while the fruit was also in great demand in Iran and Middle East countries. Besides improved quality, production of seedless kinnow would increase its exports, he added.
Altaf said seedless kinnow was in high demand. The fruit normally contained 20 to 28 seeds while 95 per cent variety of the seedless kinnow had only one seed with more juice and long storage life, he added.
He said the latest varieties of seedless citrus were being cultivated. The saplings of ‘ARI 2016’ had been cultivated over 30,000 acre land in Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh, Layyah and Vehari districts, he added. He said the Punjab government was taking steps to facilitate the growers and processors/ exporters for enhancing production and trade. He advised farmers to keep in touch with the Citrus Research Center for best quality seeds.
