Staff Reporter
Karachi
Former chairman FPCCI Standing Committee on Horticulture Exports, Chaudhry Ahmad Jawad has said that only a small proportion of kinnow fruit is being exported annually with the figure of around 300,000 tons only against the production of 2.2 million tons.
Most of the produce is sold in the local market, therefore the value addition of this fruit is vital and in this regard Ministry of Science and Technology could play a pivotal role.
Speaking in webinar on kinnow value addition here on Thursday, Jawad said even in Sargodha a hub of production area, there are only two industrial units that manufacture kinnow juice. Reportedly, no unit utilizes the peel of the kinnow fruits.
Peel we can produce orange oil which is natural grease cutter for the extraction of heavy oil and it is recyclable. Even from its pulp is not being utilized in any products such as cosmetics, jam, jelly, marmalade and others. Since no industrial unit is present to utilize the fruit completely, farmers are unable to benefit from the fruit’s production.
In order to establish a value addition, it is essential to invite foreign investors to invest in this sector along with government’s initiatives. “This will not only increase our foreign exchange reserves but also benefit farmers who will receive their due reward for their hard work.
