Punjab produces 59 percent of kinnow grown in Pakistan, but this year citrus canker has led to a markedly low yield in comparison with previous years. The kinnow harvest is normally highly profitable for farmers, but due to disease and the lack of modern farming practices, which could control it, farmers in the state are suffering.
Kinnow Growers’ Association president Hamid Saleem Warraich said “Citrus canker, one of the most devastating plant diseases, spread like wild fire across the kinnow production belt.” Kinnow is counted among the top 30 fruits grown in the country and the second most widely grown fruit in the world in terms of area covered and production. “Almost 64 per cent of citrus fruit grown in the Punjab is kinnow.”
He said farmers had to bear the brunt of the damage wreaked by the citrus canker disease. Several commercial citrus varieties were highly susceptible to the disease and kinnow was the most vulnerable variety, he said. “Some of the symptoms of the disease are severe defoliation, dieback and fruit drop.” Once a plant is infected, the value of the fruit drops markedly so that it becomes unmarketable, he said.
Warraich requested the government to conduct thorough research and look for solutions to prevent citrus canker from destroying their yield. He said the government could also sign export agreements with foreign markets to enhance the support of the citrus industry.
Source: tribune.com.pk
