LAHORE: Punjab has launched a series of extensive orchard revival initiatives to combat the significant decline in its citrus sector, which accounts for over 90 per cent of Pakistan’s production and is renowned for its unique tangy and sweet-tasting juicy fruits.
Spearheaded by the Citrus Research Institute (CRI) in Sargodha, the initiative focuses on enhancing productivity through advanced techniques and establishing a molecular diagnostic lab to tackle diseases. A cornerstone of the project is the development of the country’s first container-grown nursery system, aimed at producing high-quality, disease-free plants to increase volume and value in addition to shortening fruit-bearing time.
Punjab’s citrus sector has experienced a catastrophic decline in both output and export earnings in recent years. The multi-dimensional steep drop in its citrus sector has been marked by a 14 per cent reduction in cultivated area between 2018 and 2023. The area has improved in later years, but it is still well below the potential. Not only this, the citrus sector has experienced a catastrophic decline in both export volume and revenue in recent years. The downturn began with dwindling export volumes, which plummeted from 508,910 metric tonnes in 2018-19 to approximately 306,766 metric tonnes in 2024-25, a drop of nearly 40 per cent.
Export earnings, which stood at a strong $285 million in 2018-19, have suffered a devastating fall, plummeting to an estimated $80 million by 2024-25. This represents a loss of over 70 per cent of the sector’s export value. The staggering scale of this dual decline underscores the profound challenges — including climate shocks, quality issues, and market barriers — that have crippled the industry, highlighting the critical urgency of the ongoing revival project to stem the losses and reclaim international market share.
In addition to the drop in area and production of citrus in Punjab province, the quality of fruits has been adversely affected. Only about 25 per cent of last season’s fruit met export standards. Key factors driving this crisis include poor orchard management, heightened pest and disease pressure, and the escalating impacts of climate change. Notably, smog and extreme weather events have shortened the harvesting window and further degraded fruit quality, while rising production costs and higher farm gate prices have eroded profitability.
Compounding these challenges are substantial post-harvest losses across the supply chain and limited value addition within the sector. Although a diverse range of citrus products and by-products — such as juices, concentrates, essential oils, jams and nutraceuticals — are possible, underdeveloped processing infrastructure means most produce does not achieve higher value-added forms. This gap is linked to substandard nursery practices, inefficient planting geometries, and a general lack of awareness regarding modern pre- and post-harvest management techniques.
To address this challenging situation, the provincial agriculture department has launched several targeted initiatives. Substantial on-ground progress is already visible in this connection, including setting up quality labs, preparation of nursery seedlings, and plantation activities in core and non-core citrus areas. The project also diversifies the citrus gene pool by introducing 10 promising new varieties, such as the seedless Tango mandarin and Valencia orange, to improve market competitiveness.
These efforts are supported by farmer training seminars and have garnered review visits from senior officials, reflecting a committed, multi-faceted approach to reversing the decline. By integrating modern technology, improved planting material, and stakeholder capacity building, Punjab aims to restore both the yield and quality of its vital citrus industry.
Under the strategic leadership of Director Akber Hayat, the Citrus Research Institute in Sargodha is executing a multifaceted revival plan for Punjab’s citrus sector. A cornerstone of this initiative is pioneering Pakistan’s first container-grown nursery system to produce certified, disease-free plants, directly addressing the issue of sub-standard nursery stock. Furthermore, he is overseeing the establishment of a dedicated exotic gene pool bank at CRI and the creation of demonstration sites to showcase advanced horticultural practices. His leadership extends to coordinating large-scale capacity-building efforts, including seminars for citrus farmers, ensuring that innovative technologies and management practices are effectively transferred to stakeholders across the province.
In an interaction, he was optimistic in reviving the citrus sector while positioning Pakistan in the top ten producers and one of the prominent exporters of quality fruits in the world. He was confident about enhancing average farm production of export-quality fruits to 50 per cent from the current 25 per cent.
Dr Suhaib Warraich, scientific officer who is overseeing the state-of-the-art molecular diagnostic lab equipped with Spanish and German technologies at the Institute, said the advanced facility is dedicated to accurately diagnosing the root causes of citrus decline, which will enable the development of targeted and effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies for the sector.
