Pakistan's citrus sector could lift export revenues to up to US$1 billion within six years if growers shift to new varieties, improve quality standards, and expand value addition, according to Shoaib Ahmed Basra, board member of the Pakistan Horticulture Export and Development Company and chairman of its Citrus Export Sub-committee.
Basra told Wealth Pakistan that the target is achievable if producers reduce reliance on Kinnow and adopt seedless, early- and late-season citrus varieties, supported by modern production practices. He called for diversification into mandarins, tangerines, clementines, oranges, lemons, and grapefruit to enable year-round exports and access to higher-paying markets. Quality certification, traceability systems, clean nurseries, imported germplasm, and dedicated citrus clusters, including those in the Potohar region, were identified as priorities.
"We only produce Kinnow for three months—December, January, and February," Basra said, noting that climate change has reduced the traditional late-season export window. He compared Pakistan's short season with countries such as China, Egypt, Turkey, and Spain, which grow multiple citrus varieties and export over longer periods. China's citrus exports stand at about US$1.5 billion, despite large domestic consumption.
Pakistan currently exports little citrus to markets such as the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan. "Pakistani Kinnow is not going to any good-paying country," Basra said. "Even without that, we touched US$250 million in exports in 2021. So I think we can easily go to US$1 billion, but first we need new varieties that can be taken to the international market."
Kinnow represents about 85 per cent of Pakistan's citrus production and around 80 per cent of citrus exports. Basra said export quality has declined, with only 29 per cent of output exported last year, compared with about 80 per cent qualifying as A-grade in 2001. Pakistan expects a Kinnow crop of around 2.8 million tonnes this season, but higher volumes alone offer limited benefit without diversification and processing.
Citrus production is concentrated in Punjab, accounting for nearly 90 per cent of national output, with Pakistan supplying about 90 per cent of global Kinnow production.
Source: INP
