Pakistani kinnow has gained a new foothold in Central Asia. Uzbekistan's Food Safety Committee has approved 184 Pakistani kinnow exporters and 39 packhouses to supply the Uzbek market, according to an official announcement issued on Tuesday, just ahead of the coming export season.
The approval covers exporters registered with Pakistan's Department of Plant Protection (DPP) that meet the relevant regulatory and phytosanitary requirements. Officials expect it to significantly boost kinnow exports and strengthen Pakistan's trade presence in Central Asia.
The move is especially significant because the border with Afghanistan, traditionally a major destination for Pakistani fruit such as kinnow and mangoes, has been closed since October 2025, leaving exporters searching for alternative markets.
The announcement credited coordinated diplomatic and technical efforts by the commerce ministry, TDAP, the food security ministry, the DPP, Pakistan's trade and investment counsellor in Uzbekistan and the Pakistani embassy in Tashkent. Pakistan thanked the Uzbek government for its cooperation and said it remained committed to expanding agricultural trade between the two countries.