With increasing demand from south, kinnow growers in Abohar hope for juicy returns
ABOHAR: Punjab’s ‘king fruit’ kinnow is bringing handsome return to farmers over last year, with traders in this subdivision of Fazilka district being offered up to ₹18 per kg. This is an increase of 50% over last year’s average price of ₹12 per kg.
The major reason for this price appreciation is poor output of competing fruits like oranges and mosambi in other parts of the country. The South is the biggest market for Punjab’s kinnow and it plays a vital role in deciding the pricing, growers say.
Subhash Bishnoi, who owns a 60-acre orchard at Khairpur village, said farmers were paid ₹10-12/kg for bulk orders in 2018-19. “Last season, kinnow production was exceptionally high. Due to high yield, rates crashed. This year, as a significant part of Maharashtra’s orange was hit due to rain, the crop’s October-November harvest is low. Consequently, kinnow demand has seen an increase,” he added.
Punjab leads in the cultivation of kinnow, a hybrid between King and Willow Leaf Mandarin. Abohar produces 60% of the state’s fruit with area under it pegged at around 33,000 hectare. Last season, Abohar had produced 7 lakh metric tonnes of kinnow.
Aman Sharma, a contractor harvesting orchards in Abohar, said prices were likely to stay firm this year. “We have started supplying kinnow to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
Demand in North Indian states will start from December.”
Deputy director (horticulture) JS Bhatti said, “Climatic conditions of the Abohar area are highly conducive for kinnow. Significant quantity is exported to Bangladesh and some individuals are trying to explore the market in the UAE and Russia,” he said, adding that there had been an increase of 1,600 hectare in area under kinnow production in Abohar, each year since 2016.
A leading kinnow grower and chairperson of the Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission Ajay Vir Jakhar, however, claimed that PAU was not making research efforts in developing new varieties.
“PAU must work to bring new varieties with improved qualities,” Jakhar added.
A state award-winning kinnow grower Arvind Setia said with the fruit having huge potential, scientists should work to explore the scope of kinnow in the organised food processing sector. “About 15 years ago, the industry had started using kinnow in juice and squash manufacturing. The project, however, failed as seeds cause bitterness in the juice. If we also get cold chains and packaging units in Abohar, we can do wonders,” Setia added.
TRADERS OFFERING ₹18 A KG AGAINST ₹12 LAST YEAR; POOR OUTPUT OF COMPETING FRUITS LIKE ORANGES AND MOSAMBI IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY BEHIND DEMAND SPIKE