Pakistan's kinnow production has exceeded records by crossing 3 million metric tons for the first time, says Ahsan Goraya, CEO of Goraya Farms. "This bumper crop from Punjab's Sargodha belt should be a celebration, but border chaos and rising costs are squeezing the citrus value-chain instead. Pakistani mandarin's vibrant color, high juice content, and distinctive flavor have built global demand, yet farmers face distress sales."
Grown primarily in Sargodha, known as the heartland of kinnow, this season exposed deep cracks in Pakistan's citrus export chain. Goraya explains, "The Pakistan-Afghanistan border closure, triggered by political tensions, slashed export volumes by 50%. Afghanistan is not just a major market; it also serves as a major land corridor to Central Asia. Exporters now reroute via expensive sea and air freight, losing edge against Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, and Spain."
© Goraya Farms
Farm-gate prices are down by 25% to USD 0.36 per kg from USD 0.48 per kg last season. "Domestic oversupply is flooding local markets as exports stall, forcing sales below production costs. On the other hand, fuel, packaging, labor, and phytosanitary compliance costs keep climbing, squeezing margins further. We're in crowded global markets where our competitors get state-backed logistics incentives, soft loans, and market access through trade missions. Without similar measures, Pakistan risks losing market share despite its production advantage," Goraya notes.
Demand is healthy from countries such as Uzbekistan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. But Goraya stresses the urgency to diversify markets. "We're targeting new markets to escape regional instability as abundance means nothing without reliable exports. Industry leaders are pressing the Punjab and federal governments for immediate freight subsidies to create parity and hold share."
As Goraya sums it, "This production milestone proves Pakistan's agricultural potential, but border uncertainties, cost pressures, and oversupply risk long-term damage. Coordinated policy, diplomacy, and export support could turn volume into real value for kinnow farmers."
For more information:
Ahsan Goraya
Goraya Farms
Tel: +92 30 08 736 048
Email: [email protected]
www.gorayafarms.com
