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Big crop of kinno, export negligible
April 19: Citrus being
the largest group of fruits produced in Pakistan
possesses all the potential of becoming our major
exportable fruit commodity. We are one of the
major citrus-producing countries but our citrus
export is negligible.
Citrus fruits hold second position after grapes in
the world fruit production. Brazil is the leading
citrus producing and exporting country in die
world. Pakistan stands in the top ten of the world
citrus producing countries with negligible export
(FAO, 2001).
The challenge is to capture our share of the world
citrus trade, enough to put ourselves in the top
ten. We are conveniently located from some major
consumer markets like Middle East,Pacific
countries and Europe. We must therefore improve
our yield and quality to be able to compete with
countries like Brazil, the USA and the
Mediterranean countries.
Citrus industry refers to the
cultivation/production, marketing, processing and
consumption of a group of fruits known as citrus
fruits. Botanically, citrus is a name for a genus
in family Rutaceae. Horticulturally, it refers to
all edible and root-stock species.
Of genus citrus and a few closely related genera
of the family Rutaceae. Common edible fruits
included in this group are sweet oranges,
mandarins, grapefruit lemon/lime and many other
minor categories like tangerines, pummelos,
tangelos, kumquat, etc.
Citrus fruits originated in the tropics of South
East Asia and were spread to the world through
trade routes. Citrus is now cultivated on both
sides of the equator, making a citrus belt around
35 degrees North and South, which is extended up
to 44 degree latitude in south of France in the
Northern Hemisphere and up to 39 degree latitude
in Australia in the Southern Hemisphere.
In Pakistan, Punjab is the major producer of the
citrus, 95 per cent of which is produced there.
Some citrus orchards are also found in the
Frontier province (NWFP), and in the province of
Sindh. Little citrus is grown in Balochistan.
Between 60-70 per cent of citrus grown in Punjab
is kinno mandarin. It is also the matter of fact
that we are the largest produce of kinno in the
world. For a little history, the kinno mandarin
was evolved as a result of cross between 'King'
and 'willow-leaf'. In 1915, H.B. Frost made this
cross at the Citrus Research Centre, University of
California, USA. It was introduced, acclimatized
and released by the researchers working in the
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
Citrus fruits were not a major crop in this
country before the introduction of kinno. The
traditional "sangtra"' varieties and some sweet
oranges were grown at scattered places. The area
and production of citrus fruits expanded
dramatically with the popularity of kinno.
Now it is a very popular variety in the
citrus-growing areas due to its high yield,
attractive appearance, higher juice contents,
taste and flavour. The natural colour of kinno
juice is it's additional attraction to juice
processing industry as addition of artificial
colour is being discouraged in the international
trade.
Kinno has the following peculiar features, which
differentiates it from other citrus varieties.
Easy Peel: The rind containing numerous oil glands
comes off easily with bare hands since it is
loosely bound compared to other types of citrus
fruit. Therefore, kinno can be just peeled off and
enjoyed anywhere, anytime.
Juice content: Kinno consist of several easily
separated sections and high juice content. Its
full-bodied flavour and its juice content combine
to make a most satisfying and healthy fruit. One
kinno provides sufficient vitamin C to fulfil your
need for a day.
Pulp: Kinno pulp is used to make delicious
desserts, jams and sauces.
Skin: The skin can be used to make cosmetics and
essence.
Kinno has more nutritional value as compared to
any other citrus variety. For instance., the
comparison of the nutritional value of kinno and
oranges is given.
RDA: Recommended daily allowances: The most
interesting feature of the fruit is its size and
quality, which is superior to the kinno of
California and Arizona. As a matter of fact, kinno
never achieved any commercial significance in its
native place.
Better prices due to its export served an
important catalyst for expansion of kinno
industry. The production of kinno has been
steadily increasing but their exports have been
static since many years.
In the absence of a proper system of packing,
grading and transport, Pakistan has earned a
reputation for supplying poor quality products
including fruits, in international export market.
The lack of understanding about the marketing
methods among its growers causes a failure of
successful entry into the export market. The lack
of pack houses and cold storage facilities also
contributes towards the poor quality fruit.
Exporters use the cheapest packaging material
resulting in disastrous losses and poor reputation
in the international markets. Many of the large
growers intend to become exporters but lack of
financial resources, trained manpower,
infrastructure and lack of information about
international market and export business, they
hesitate to enter into export business themselves.
The Export Promotion Bureau of Pakistan (EPB) has
done a great job in recent years to solve such
problems., but we think much work is still
required to improve the export status of kinno.
Our kinno has reached Europe and to the Far
Eastern markets as well. The area under kinno
cultivation has been increased in recent years. It
is high time to plan for such an increase and to
ensure that the productivity of newly planted
orchards is comparable to the best in the citrus
world.
Kinno along with many merits also has some
demerits. For growers and contractors, it is the
longest duration crop, being very late in
ripening. Its alternate beating habit i.e., heavy
crop in one year and very little or no crop in the
subsequent year, affects the return to grower.
As it is a very soft skinned fruit, post-harvest
losses are high during harvesting and shipping.
The presence of higher number of seeds and
limonine, (natural compound, which makes the taste
of kinno juice bitter when kept for extended
period of time), making us less competitive in the
international market. Late maturity also results
in very short crushing season for the juice
makers.
There is a need for initiation of a long term
breeding programme to improve kinno by genetic
means. Early maturity, regular bearing and hard
find are common characters among the citrus
relatives, which could be introduced into kinno.
By using the tool of biotechnology seedless kinno
can also be produced. Similarly kinno varieties
with low limonine must be evolved.
Several types of kinno fruits are available in
market. Variation is found in size, shapes., rind
thickness, sugar and acid contents., number of
seeds and the shade of fruit colour. This is a
trend towards deterioration of kinno caused by bud
mutation.
Another important cause of kinno deterioration is
the presence of some virus and virus-like
diseases, especially citrus tristeza vim (CTV) and
citrus greening disease. The degeneration of kinno
due to mutations and viruses can have catastrophic
consequences.
Virus infection along with poor management is the
major cause in reducing the life span of its
orchards. This also contributes towards the low
yield in our country. All such problems like bud
mutation and viruses start and spread at the
nursery stage. Citrus nursery business has neither
rules and regulations nor choice of growers except
to buy plants from private nurseries.
We must take necessary steps to regulate nursery
business for its stable production. As a first
step we must establish a foundation block of kinno
in particular and other important citrus fruits in
general, which should be clean from mutations and
free of diseases.
These trees should be used to supply the certified
budwood to nurseries to ensure the supply of
certified and guaranteed plants to growers. The
directorate of horticulture, University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad has recently launched a
certified citrus nursery project to establish and
regularize the certification programme.
Nutrients Kinnow mandarin
(% RDA) Sweet oranges
(% RDA)
Vitamin A 3% 2%
Vitamin c 130% 130%
Calcium 4% 2%
Iron 4% 2%
Phosphorous 3% 2%.
The DAWN
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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