Higher freight charges, unavailability of refrigerated containers and poor crop quality are affecting India’s kinnow exports this season. Exporters say that either refrigerated containers are not available or their freight charges have doubled -or even tripled-, making the fruit costlier and leading to a drop in its sale in foreign markets.
The mandarin is exported to the Middle East, Far East, Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and some European destinations. Some exporters fear that export of the fruit will drop around 50 percent this season because of its high cost and poor quality.
Last year, kinnow exports stood at over 450,000 tons, but this season it may not cross the 250,000-ton mark as per the orders received from abroad so far.
