Tezpur Litchi Export to Dubai: APEDA Promotes Assam’s GI-Tagged Fruit

APEDA facilitated the first export of GI-tagged Tezpur Litchi from Assam to Dubai, expanding global market access for Northeast India’s agricultural products.

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About Litchi

• Litchi is a tropical fruit belonging to the Sapindaceae family, valued for its sweet taste, juicy pulp, and high nutritional content.
• Cultivation Conditions
• • Suitable Climate: Litchi thrives in a moist sub-tropical climate and grows best in low-altitude regions up to about 800 metres above sea level.
  • Soil Requirement: Deep, well-drained loamy soils rich in organic matter, with a pH range of 5.0–7.0, are ideal for litchi cultivation.
  • Temperature Requirement: summer temperatures below 40.5°C and winter temperatures stay above the freezing point.
  • Rainfall Sensitivity: Prolonged rainfall during flowering adversely affects pollination, while the crop is sensitive to frost in winter and dry heat in summer.
• Distribution
  • Global Distribution: China is the world’s largest producer of litchi, followed by India, while Thailand, Australia, South Africa, Madagascar, and the United States are other major producers.
  • Distribution in India: Litchi is extensively cultivated in Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Assam, with Bihar being the leading producing state.

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About Tezpur Litchi

• Tezpur Litchi is a premium horticultural product cultivated mainly in Assam’s Sonitpur district.
• Origin: Tezpur’s litchi legacy dates back to 1923, when noted litterateur and former Tezpur Municipality chairman Padmanath Gohain Baruah established litchi orchards in the town.
• Key Features
  • Exceptional Quality and Taste: The fruit is known for its exceptional sweetness, juicy pulp, bright-red appearance, and distinctive aroma, making it highly preferred in domestic and international markets.
  • Diverse Indigenous Varieties: Major varieties include Bombaya, Bilati, Elaichi, Piyaji, and Sahi, each possessing unique flavour profiles and quality attributes.
  • High Export Potential: Its premium quality, coupled with GI recognition, enhances market acceptance and creates opportunities for value-added agricultural exports.
• GI Status Awarded: 2015
• • The GI tag protects its unique geographical identity and strengthens market recognition globally.
• Other GI-Tagged Litchi Variety:  Shahi Litchi (Bihar), 2018

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About APEDA

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry responsible for promoting agricultural and processed food exports from India.
• Establishment : Under the APEDA Act, 1985.
• Functions
• • Export Promotion: APEDA identifies and develops international markets for Indian agricultural products.
  • Infrastructure and Quality Support: It provides assistance for quality certification, packaging, cold-chain infrastructure, and export-oriented facilities.
  • Capacity Building: The authority conducts training programmes for farmers, exporters, and FPOs to improve export competitiveness.
  • Market Linkages: APEDA connects producers with domestic and international buyers through trade promotion and market access initiatives.

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