Tenshion with Kabul forces exporters to divert shipments
THE gate of a kinnow polishing and grading factory on the outskirts of Bhalwal, Sargodha district opens gingerly, and a middle-aged orchard owner steps in. His voice trembles as he makes an unusual request: “buy my kinnow at whatever rate you can”. The wedding date of his daughter is fixed, he says, and the fruit on his trees is the only asset he has left to turn into cash.
According to a recent write up published in Dawn factory managers hear such pleas daily this season. What was once routine commercial transaction has turned into human drama, reflecting a crisis engulfing Pakistan’s citrus economy — one shaped by closed borders, rising costs, policy neglect, and the shadow of international sanctions linked to Iran.
Pakistan’s kinnow exporters face a perfect storm as the traditional overland route to Russia and adjoining markets through Afghanistan remains effectively closed. For years, this corridor allowed kinnow to reach Russia, Ukraine and Central Asian Republics within six to nine days, keeping the fruit fresh and competitive.
