Kinnow purchase begins in Abohar

Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 22

Kinnow and citrus fruit purchase started officially at the cotton yard in the new grain market here today.

SDM Poonam Singh inaugurated the purchase in the presence of fruit growers, local traders and wholesalers who had arrived from Gwalior, Delhi, Samana and other towns. The initial price of citrus (Malta) ranged from Rs 21 to Rs 26 a kg and kinnow from Rs 10 to Rs 13.

Farmers claimed that the total area under citrus and kinnow in Abohar subdivision had shrunk from 62,000 hectares to about 32,000 hectares as many orchards had to be abandoned due to waterlogging in Abohar and Balluana segments.

The state government had given nod to develop a kinnow mandi here in 2011. The Punjab Mandi Board had auctioned most of the commercial plots but the Rs 3-crore project moved at a snail’s pace. Now, a yard has been earmarked near the grain market, but construction of sheds awaits funds. This forced the authorities to arrange the auction of fruits in the cotton yard.