UP's kinnow push worries Punjab's orchardists

Hindustan Times

20 hours ago

Kinnow growers of Punjab, grappling with low productivity since 2021, are now facing a new challenge from Uttar Pradesh where the state government is pushing for the cultivation of the citrus crop. Worker plucking kinnows in an orchard in Fazilka district. (HT File)
With the UP government actively promoting kinnow cultivation—particularly in Agra and the Gangetic belt—using plants sourced from nurseries in Abohar, Punjab's orchardists fear for the future of their once-thriving industry.
Abohar and Balluana revenue blocks of Fazlika district have around 35,000 hectares under kinnow and the annual average production of Punjab's 'king fruit' is pegged at 12 lakh tonnes.
Punjab orchardists say that the widespread dieback incidents of kinnow orchards in 2024 and poor seasons since 2021 have them worried about the future of Punjab's key horticulture crop.
They attribute the low fruit production trend to increasing levels of saline groundwater, unfriendly climatic conditions and poor canal-based irrigation support.
State awardee kinnow grower Arvind Setia said that this season too, farmers are not seeing any significant change in yield.
'Orchardists of the semi-arid area of the kinnow-growing belt are entirely dependent on canal water owing to the high saline content in groundwater. While fruit production in Punjab is not growing, orchards in Rajasthan are in a deeper crisis in kinnow production. But the UP government is making all efforts to boost the cultivation of the kinnow and we are concerned with the emerging trend,' said Setia.
Horticultural authorities of UP said that they are promoting kinnow by offering a subsidy through the centre's mission for integrated development of horticulture, while a Prayagraj-based Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPTROU), a state institute, is rolling out a three-month certificate course to promote farming of kinnow.
According to Dharam Pal Yadav, deputy director, UP's horticulture division of Agra, more than 1,700 hectares in Agra are under kinnow cultivation, producing an estimated 40,000 tonnes or 4 lakh quintals annually, and the acreage is growing.
'Farmers with 0.4-4 hectares in Agra and adjoining areas of the Ganga belt are being encouraged to switch to kinnow farming. We see a huge potential for UP farmers to meet the market demand for the citrus fruit,' said Yadav.
He said that since the quality of fruit is matched with Punjab and the pest management is easy, farmers are showing interest and the state is confident of significant improvement in acreage in the coming few years.
Satendra Babu Yadav, an assistant professor in the department of agriculture at UPTROU, is credited for starting promoting kinnow cultivation in UP.
He said being closer to Delhi gives Agra kinnow growers an edge to attract buyers and transport the fruit to different destinations.
'I visited the Abohar area in 2005, which prompted me to give a try to kinnow farming in UP. I found the soil and climatic conditions in the traditional potato-growing region of Agra conducive for kinnow and the trial proved it a success. Since 2006, farmers have sourced hundreds of plants from Abohar, which are contributing to improving their farm income,' said Yadav, whose research domain is horticulture crops.
Still, not everyone is convinced that UP's kinnows will rival Punjab's.
Punjab orchardist Parth Dawra said it is too early to conclude that the UP's kinnow might capture the market and outshine Punjab's produce.
'There is no doubt that fruit productivity in Punjab has not been inching towards a bumper yield for the last five years. Climatic conditions of the Abohar area are considered better for pest management and quality of fruits but it is yet to be ascertained if the orchards of UP are capable of producing a similar quality of fruit, which is accepted by the market,' said Dawra.