KARACHI: Kinno export is likely to increase by 50 per cent to 200,000 tons this year due to a bumper crop against 150,000 tons achieved last year.

The All-Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters and Importers Association has fixed the export target at 200,000 tons for the current kinno season, which starts this week. Loading of containers for Dubai and Colombo will start on Nov 6, exporters said. In view of the bumper crop the association will send a delegation to fruits and vegetable congress scheduled to be held in Dubai on Nov 8, to explore new markets to dispose of the extra-ordinary large crop this year.

Abdul Wahid, former chairman of the association, told Dawn on Tuesday that he would meet fruit importers from Africa, which could prove to be a big market for Pakistani citrus fruit.

He, however, expressed concern that that no government agency, including the TDAP and the Punjab government, which had pledged to regularise export of kinno by road to Iran, have not taken any steps to facilitate the export which is the top foreign exchange earner for the country along with mango.

Iran, which takes about 33 per cent of the kinno exports, has banned shipments in open trucks from this season and informed the Pakistani customs and quarantine that it would allow shipments only in refrigerated containers duly certified by quarantine and customs.

The Punjab government has not yet set up a customs checkpost fully equipped with phytosanitry certification at Bhalwal, the main kinno producing area, to regulate shipments to Iran by road meeting conditions imposed by the Iranian quarantine.

Abdul Wahid warned that the country might lose the Iranian market, which was opened after 20 years, if shipment rules imposed by that country are not fulfilled.

Khalid Ijaz, a leading exporter, confirmed that the TDAP and Pakistan Horticulture Development Export Board (PHDEB), have not yet taken steps to promote kinno exports from a bumper crop, which could be fully exploited to earn huge foreign exchange.

He said that the current law and order situation has created acute shortage of labour as most of the foreign labour, like Afghans and Bengalis, have gone underground for fear of police raids on foreigners.

Work at kinno processing plants and kinno farms has greatly affected due to shortage of labour.

Another exporter Abdul Qadeer Durrani said that kinno exports will start from Nov 15, but will reach its peak in December when fruit achieves its full colour.

He said he would export kinno this year to China, which was not utilised last year due to quality concerns.