Bihar’s shahi litchi may soon get GI tag

BHAGALPUR: The famed shahi litchi, grown extensively in many north Bihar districts, may soon get a Geographical Indications (GI) tag.

The GI tag is given to products that have a specific geographical origin and possess a reputation due to that origin. The details of the fruit have been advertised in the Geographical Indications Journal, number 107, of June 5, 2018.

“If everything goes well, there is a fair chance of shahi litchi getting the GI tag within three months,” said Ajoy Kumar Singh, vice chancellor of Bihar Agriculture University (BAU), Sabour, which is involved in facilitating early GI registration of the fruit.

“Details of shahi litchi have been published in the Geographical Indications Journal and made available in the public domain,” he added.

Singh, who had been actively involved in compilation of shahi litchi’s details, said the GI registration would help in protecting interest of the fruit’s growers.

BAU director (extension) RK Sohane said after GI registration shahi litchis’ cultivators would be in a position to authenticate the product while selling it within the country as well as abroad.

He said shahi litchi’s high potential of to meet the demand of structured market had remained unexploited so far.

“The GI tag will definitely provide an opportunity to tap this potential,” Sohane added.

The application for GI registration of shahi litchi has been submitted by Muzaffarpurbased Litchi Growers Association of Bihar. Apart from Muzaffarpur, shahi litchi is grown extensively in Samastipur, Vaishali, East Champaran, and Begusarai districts of north Bihar.

The details posted in the Geographical Indications Journal mentions that litchi, initially introduced in Bengal, gradually spread to other parts of country, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Humid conditions and alluvial soil having fairly good amount of calcium content in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga, besides nearby areas, proved ideal for litchi cultivation in Bihar, it says. It further states that the Shahi variety, has been identified with Muzaffarpur, the area where it was developed.

As proof of origin, it has been stated that litchi was an important fruit crop of Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga region in 1907. The details also refer to contents of Bihar District Gazetteers, Darbhanga, 1964, to substantiate the point. It also mentions the method of production, fruiting and maturity, harvesting yield and post harvesting handling.