Pakistani citrus exporters are looking forward to improved orange exports this season after heavy rains have given rise to a bumper crop, reports the Daily Times of Pakistan.
Shippers are forecasting exports above last season’s 200,000 tonnes, thanks to widespread monsoon rains across the orange-growing regions of Sargodha, and improvements in production techniques.
“For the upcoming season, there are encouraging reports of a good crop of oranges of around 2.5m tonnes, and there are strong prospects the country’s exports will surpass the previous years 200,000 tonnes,” former chairman of the Fruit Exporters Association of Pakistan Abdul Wahid told the paper.
He said orange growers were expecting a good citrus crop thanks to the modern production methods they now used under the directives of technical fruit-farming experts.
Pakistan’s kinnow crop has been unaffected by the devastating flooding affecting much of the country, Mr Wahid said. Grower-shippers are therefore hoping for good returns from exports once shipments begin in mid-December.
Russia and the Ukraine now import almost half of Pakistan’s total citrus export volumes.
Indonesia and Malaysia have also recently emerged as strong markets for Pakistani oranges, according to Mr Wahid.
He said Indonesia has this year agreed to scrap its 25 per cent import duty on Pakistani oranges in return for Pakistan’s lower import duty on Indonesian palm oil.
Iran, Bangladesh and Eastern Europe also represent important export markets for Pakistani citrus, Mr Wahid said.
