When Punjab pips Turkey on oranges

While it does not do to be seen taking advantage of an unfortunate happening, it cannot be denied that the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey on its border with Syria late last year has led to a juicy opportunity for Punjab. Indeed, as prices of mandarin oranges doubled in Russia due to the ensuing trade sanctions imposed on Turkey, it got some Punjab farmers out of a jam. It justifies the adage that if life deals you lemons —or kinnow oranges in the case of Punjab’s growers, who have been facing bumper harvest of their yearly crop, coupled with perpetually falling prices — make marmalade, metaphorically speaking. And Punjab pipping Turkey on the export of the coveted citrus to Russia at the beginning of this year certainly qualifies as such.

Clearly, a new chapter in Indo-Russian interactions is being written as some 6 lakh kg of kinnow from southwest Punjab have landed in St Petersburg and Novorossiysk ports to grace tables across Russia in time for Easter. Moreover, even though the term Orange Revolution does not have quite a positive connotation in some quarters including Ukraine, even that country has given Punjab’s kinnow farmers something to smile about too. Nagpur, as the headquarters of India’s orange league, should, therefore, also keep its eyes peeled for more such opportunities later in the year.