Kinnow crop production falls, prices increase

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 15

The kinnow crop is expected to remain almost half as compared to the production last year, but the growers are happy as the prices are good. They say the prices are almost double this year and traders are entering into agreements for January at Rs 25 per kg.

Mohit Setia, a kinnow grower, said, “The coloured fruit has started arriving in the market. The production is less this year due to weather vagaries. However, the growers are getting a good price. The traders are paying between Rs 20-25 per kg kinnow of average quality. The prices are expected to go up.”

Avneet Brar, a horticulturist, said, “The growers are having a good season and the consumers will have to pay more money. The prices are likely to shoot up in the coming days.”

Meanwhile, Rajinder Kumar, a trader said, “The kinnow crop is 50 per cent less than the production last year. The hot weather in February-March affected the crop in its flowering stage. In Delhi, a box of kinnow weighing about 10 kg is fetching Rs 300-450. The orange crop is also expected to be less this year, thus the demand of kinnow will remain in the market.”

Balwinder Singh Tikka, state-awardee kinnow grower, said, “As per majority of growers, the yield has decreased due to weather, but I think the plant has heavy bearing. So, it gives bumper fruit one year and the next year, the fruit decreases. The state government with the help of the Horticulture Department and the Punjab Agricultural University should develop some more varieties.”