Russian experts will visit Pakistan soon...

Russia to explore Pakistan kinnow import prospects
A delegation of Russian experts will visit Pakistan soon to discuss import of Pakistan’s citrus produce, especially kinnow, to the Russian Federation.
This was told at a meeting of Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Sikandar Hayat Bosan with all the stakeholders in the country’s citrus sector including growers, exporters, quarantine experts and senior officials of MINFAL.The meeting was also briefed on efforts by members of a Pakistani delegation which recently visited Moscow to discuss with the Russian plant quarantine authorities, lifting of a ban on the import of vegetative (horticultural) products from Pakistan, including kinnow and rice.The Pakistani team also proposed measures to overcome problems like the Mediterranean fruit fly, and development of a pest-free Kinnow Export Zone.Talking to newsmen later, Sikandar Hayat Bosan said that the government is taking all necessary steps to promote citriculture in the country by taking care of the interests of all stakeholders of this vital sector of the economy.“Efforts are afoot to explore new markets for the kinnoo produce in Pakistan,” he said.Responding to a question, he said that the country is expecting a good cotton crop this year also, as about one million additional cotton bales are expected from the kutcha (riverine) area of Sindh which were lost due to the floods last year.He said that there was no shortage of pesticides in any part of the cotton belt these days, adding that the only problem confronting the silver fibre crop at the moment was the mealy bug, a new menace for the crop.“Scientists have recently developed a pesticide recipe to control this menace,” he added