Web Desk — This season, higher freight charges, a shortage of refrigerated containers, and poor quality of the crop are affecting exports of kinnow, according to a report published in Dawn.
According to exporters, either refrigeration containers are not available or shipping costs have doubled or tripled, making fruit more expensive and reducing sales in foreign markets.
Mandarins are exported to the Middle East, Far East, Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and some European countries.
According to Shaukat Basra, a citrus exporter, exports of the fruit will drop by 50% this season due to its high price and poor quality.
According to him, kinnow exports last year topped 450,000 tonnes, but this season they may not cross the 250,000-tonne mark as per orders received from abroad so far.
“Contrary to our expectations, there are no orders from China either, where 80 tonnes of Mandarin were shipped last year.”
As a result of Covid-19 related restrictions, Mr Basra complained that exporting has become more difficult due to a shortage of refrigerated containers. He notes that the issues have been raised with PM’s Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and the commerce secretary, but to no avail so far.