Jallowal, Feb 11: Soft drink major PepsiCo said on Tuesday it would commercialise the production of a variety of citrus in the next couple of years for its fruit juice 'Tropicana'. Pepsi entered into an agreement with the Punjab Agri Export Corporation (PAGREXCO) for commercialising the production, PepsiCo Executive Director (Exports and External Affairs) Abhiram Seth told reporters at the launch of the company's Agri Research and Development Centre.

He said Pepsi would buy citrus from farmers and they would be exported to the US for production of Tropicana.
Eight cultivars, along with 1,600 seedlings in 19 different combinations, have been imported from the US and the citrus stock has been placed under quarantine in a screen house.
After the satisfactory completion of the quarantine, the cultivars would be taken to 'demonstration plots' in Punjab for the benefit of interested farmers, Seth said. Bureau Report