North increases area under kinnow as South set to peel it

The flourishing market for kinnow in the southern states of India has driven the farmers in north to increase area under kinnow

Farmers in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are diversifying into kinnow, a citrus fruit resembling orange, for higher returns.

The area has been increasing in the semi-arid zones due to the flourishing market in the south. About 4,000 hectares is the area. Cotton and wheat farmers are also diversifying into kinnow. Close to 2,200 acres in Punjab, 1,100 acres in Haryana and 700 acres in Rajasthan are being added a year.

Since kinnow fruit grows every alternate season, this year is off. So despite addition of plants (gestation: five years) in the fruit-bearing stage, the total output may remain slightly lower than last year's.

This may drive up prices 10 per cent on last year's. There is always demand for citrus fruit in the south. Orange is available till September and then malta for two months. The void after malta is filled by kinnow that arrives by end-December and is available till February.

Farmers in the kinnow areas of Punjab (Abohar, Fazilka and Hoshiarpur) and Haryana (Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani and Jhajjar) got access to the markets in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu three to four years back and are now making a quick buck.

The mission director, horticulture, and nodal officer, Kinnow, in Punjab, Gurkanwal Singh Sahota, told Business Standard the state government would try to run citrus processing plants at full capacity this year. These will consume small-size kinnow, so there would be lesser supply in the market leading to a price rise.

He added under the diversification mission of the state government (from wheat-paddy rotation), the stress was to increase kinnow area.

The yield of kinnow in Punjab is 22 tonnes a hectare due to farm practices outreach.

The director-general, horticulture, Haryana, Arjan Singh Saini, said kinnow was the largest citrus fruit grown in Haryana.

It needed less water than paddy and gave a return of Rs 1-2 lakh an acre.

Kinnow is sold at Rs 60 a kg in the retail market. Farmers get Rs 8-10 a kg.

Some have started selling directly.

Farmer Deepak Puri from Hoshiarpur said even small farmers could make a group and seek help from the state government to get higher returns by directly approaching traders.

Sahota said the Punjab government was considering launching a campaign for consumer awareness. "We plan to hit the target audience through electronic media in December. We will urge them to eat more kinnows for health benefits."

To raise yield, the states have set up centres of excellence under the National Horticulture Mission.

Exports are uncompetitive as Pakistan kinnow is cheaper.

State	Production (in lakh tones)	Acreage (in hactares)
Punjab	9.88	46,000
Haryana	2.31	19402
Rajasthan	1.82	14616
Himachal Pradesh	0.29	22,000

Production and area of year 2013-14

Source- Directorate of Horticulture Punjab, Haryana and National Horticulture Mission.