KARACHI: Pakistan’s export of kinnow is on the rise as the season for its production is at its peak. A huge quantity of the fruit worth $88.9 million has been exported so far equal to 4000 TEUs.
However in case of the fruit’s export to Russia the volume has now been restricted to 30 per cent as compared to last year. Exporters are facing huge financial losses in this regard. Availability of good quality of Moroccan’s kinnow in the Russian market which has been flooded with Pakistani kinnow is resulting in low price being offered by this market.
However, possibility of substantial export of potato to Russia is bright. Due to increased demand of Pakistani potato in Gulf, Sri Lanka and the Far East, the export of potato has now reached 65,000 tonnes.
Of the total production of 50 million tonnes, an additional 3 million tonnes is expected to be exported this year. Sources said that chances of withdrawal of ban by the Russian quarantine on import of Pakistani potato are bright and hopefully potato export to Russia would begin shortly.
The price of potato in the local market is about triple that of last year’s. The vegetable is being exported via land to Russia through Afghanistan, and to Iran and Iraq. If the price of potato comes down, 50,000 tonnes is expected to be exported to Russia, he said.
