The Kinnow Growers Association has held a meeting in Sargodha to push for fair prices and a workable export plan ahead of this year’s harvest. Convener Barrister Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha said work is under way to secure reasonable rates so that growers earn better returns on their fruit.
Background
Sargodha is the heart of Pakistan’s kinnow industry, and the fruit is a major source of income for orchard owners and the workers who depend on them. A 2019 Dawn report put the district’s share of the country’s mandarin output at around 80 per cent, which shows how closely the local economy is tied to the crop.
Prices have been a sore point for years. In 2019, processors and exporters cut their purchase rate to Rs600 per 40 kilograms from Rs800 the previous season, blaming weak returns from overseas buyers, and growers threatened protests. Russia has traditionally been one of the most important markets for Pakistani kinnow, which is why export conditions weigh so heavily on what farmers are paid at home.
Details
The meeting took place on Sunday at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Sargodha, chaired by Ranjha. According to a press release, participants discussed ways to ensure reasonable prices for growers, the procedures involved in opening borders for trade, and steps to make kinnow exports more effective.
Ranjha said the aim is to settle on a fair price before the season starts, so that growers are not left negotiating from a weak position once the fruit is ready for the market. He added that a practical export mechanism is being developed, and that consultations with the relevant departments and officials are continuing.
He also indicated that the issues facing growers and exporters would be raised with the Prime Minister at a suitable stage. Protecting growers’ interests, promoting the kinnow industry and developing agriculture in Sargodha, he said, remain among the association’s priorities.
Quotes
Ranjha framed the effort as a matter of timing, saying reasonable prices should be worked out ahead of the season so that growers get better returns. He also stressed that the export mechanism under discussion needs to be effective and practical rather than a paper arrangement, and that talks with officials are still going on.
Impact
Kinnow prices affect far more than orchard owners. Pickers, packers, transporters and processing units all depend on the fruit moving smoothly from farm to market, so a poor season can ripple through the wider local economy. Growers say that when returns fall below their input costs, some may hesitate to invest in their orchards again.
Export access matters just as much. When borders are open and buyers are paying steady rates, more fruit leaves the domestic market and prices at home tend to hold up. When trade is disrupted, surplus fruit can push farm-gate prices down, as growers and exporters saw in the 2019 dispute.
Conclusion
The next few weeks will show whether the discussions lead to a clear price understanding and a working export plan before harvesting begins. Growers will be watching for concrete announcements, particularly on border procedures and any follow-up talks with the federal government, since these will largely decide how the season goes for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are kinnow oranges mainly grown in Pakistan?
Kinnow is grown mostly in Punjab, and Sargodha district is by far the biggest centre. A Dawn report from 2019 estimated that Sargodha accounts for roughly 80 per cent of Pakistan’s mandarin production, and areas such as Kot Momin are well known for their orchards. The district’s climate and soil suit citrus, which is why the fruit has become central to the local farm economy and why any change in prices or export conditions is felt quickly there.
Why do kinnow prices matter so much to growers?
Kinnow orchards need steady spending on water, fertiliser, pest control, labour and transport, and growers only earn back that money when the fruit is sold. If purchase rates fall or buyers delay their orders, farmers can end up close to or below their costs. That is why the Kinnow Growers Association is pressing for a reasonable price to be settled before the season begins, rather than leaving growers to accept whatever rate processors and exporters offer once harvesting starts.
Why is kinnow export so important for Pakistan?
A large share of the crop is processed, graded and shipped abroad, with Russia long seen as a key buyer. Reports from 2019 said Pakistan sent around 5,000 containers, roughly 130,000 tonnes, to that market in a year. Exports keep demand high and take pressure off the local market, so problems with borders, payments or shipping quickly show up as lower prices for farmers. This is why growers are asking for a dependable export mechanism alongside fair domestic rates.
