Crisis Hits Bihar’s Famous Litchi Industry
Crisis Hits Bihar’s Famous Litchi Industry
June 9, 2026: Bihar’s litchi, celebrated across India and abroad for its exceptional sweetness, juicy pulp, and unique aroma, is facing serious challenges this season. Farmers and traders are worried as production has dropped by approximately 15% compared to previous years.
Bihar cultivates litchi over 32,000 to 36,000 hectares, making it one of the largest producers in the country. However, poor infrastructure, lack of modern pack houses, and inadequate export facilities are severely affecting the industry.
Major Concerns Raised by Stakeholders
Bachcha Singh, President of the Bihar Litchi Growers Association, expressed deep disappointment over the government’s inaction. He said that most farmers are unaware of international quality standards and export procedures. Despite the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Shahi Litchi, Bihar still lacks functional modern pack houses that meet global export requirements.
A pack house was built in Bihta (Patna), but it is not fully operational yet. Singh criticised the authorities for treating shipments to other Indian states as “exports,” while real international exports require completely different strategy and infrastructure.
Basant Jha, Technical Head of Super Plum company, which has been procuring litchi from Bihar orchards for the past seven years, highlighted the lack of support. He explained that litchi is first transported in refrigerated vans to Delhi and then exported to European countries because Bihar does not have direct international cargo facilities or regular international flights from its airports.
“If Bihar had international cargo facilities, we wouldn’t need to route everything through Delhi. This would reduce transportation costs and help deliver fresher, better-quality litchi to foreign markets,” said Jha.
Research Centre Also Preparing for Exports
Dr. Vikas Das, Director of the National Litchi Research Centre, informed that the centre is preparing to export litchi to Dubai this year. Currently, exports are being routed through Varanasi airport. The centre has also developed special polythene packaging technology that can extend the shelf life of litchi by 4–5 days.
Sharp Decline in Exports
Despite the prestigious GI tag, Bihar’s litchi exports have been continuously declining according to APEDA data:
- 2025–26: 353.87 metric tonnes (₹1.40 crore)
- 2024–25: 448.25 metric tonnes (₹1.83 crore)
- 2023–24: 550.37 metric tonnes (₹1.90 crore)
A significant portion of the potential revenue is being captured by other states due to better infrastructure and export facilities.
The Way Forward
Experts believe that Bihar’s Shahi Litchi has immense potential in the global market. However, this requires urgent development of:
- Modern pack houses and cold chain networks
- International cargo facilities at Bihar airports
- Special railway wagons for perishable fruits
- Training programs for farmers on export standards and quality control
Without these facilities, Bihar’s litchi growers and the state’s economy will continue to suffer, even though the fruit has earned a premium reputation worldwide.
The coming weeks are crucial. Strong government intervention and rapid infrastructure development are needed to save and promote one of Bihar’s most prized agricultural products.
