As the elections are over now, the new government will have Punjab’s dream task ahead to compete with neighbouring Pakistan on ‘Kinnow’- a type of citrus fruit – export. For this, the state-run Punjab Agro Industries (PAIC) have set a target to catch the pace of Pakistan’s annual exports of around four million tonne of ‘Kinnow’ every year.

Encouraged by its last year’s export of 5,000 tonnes of ‘Kinnow’ in Russia, Ukraine and Middle East, the PAIC is eyeing to accelerate its export efforts to 20,000 tonnes of ‘Kinnow’ to the domestic and international markets.

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Sources said that the major targeted export will be done in international markets such as Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and Iran by ship routes.

In order to take a lead from last financial year’s export, the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) has been working on ‘International Standard post-harvest fungicide laden wax technique to maintain the quality of ‘Kinnow’ for a longer time.

Also, the PAIC officials are in the process of consulting with the top companies running cold chains on international levels. Eyeing to strengthen its cold chain system the corporation is in the process to tie up with top companies to make a success in the export of 20,000 tons of Kinnow in next one year.

Kahan Singh Pannu, Managing Director PIAC, told The Statesman, “We are in process to gear up the efforts on Kinnow export on international levels. This move is likely to benefit the Kinnow growers of the state. We are also working to import citrus fruit clippers and harvesting bags, besides providing specialised training to labour engaged in fruit picking in the orchards,” he said.

At the ‘fag’ end of the election year of 2016, Punjab chief minister (CM) Parkash Singh Badal led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) government had sanctioned a financial grant of Rs.10 Crore to PIAC for immediate improvement of cold chain infrastructure for ‘Kinnow’ marketing.

In order to take ‘Kinnow’ to distant marketing centers, the Railway Ministry had been requested to provide refrigerated wagons from Abohar, Bathinda and Hoshiarpur railway stations, thereby covering the ‘Kinnow’ hubs of the state.

According to the information, Pakistan has been the traditional ‘Kinnow’ exporter and produces close to 4 million tonnes of Kinnow annually as compared to 1 million tonnes produced in India.