The Litchi Scenario

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is one of the most important subtropical fruit

trees of the family Sapindaceae. India is the second largest producer of litchi in the

world after China with an area and production of 84,170 ha and 585,300 tonnes,

respectively during 2013-14. In India, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Assam

accounts for 64.2% of the total litchi production in the country. The other litchi

producing states of India are whereas in north western part of India Chhattisgarh,

Uttarakhand, Punjab, Odisha, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

The trends of area and production of litchi in India is given in the following figure.

Trends in area and production of litchi in India

(Data source: NHB, Govt of India; 2015-16-Advance estimate of area and production)

60.0

63.265.0

69.0

72.074.4

78.0

80.4

82.784.2 85.0

86.0

368.6

392.1403.0

418.0 423.0

483.3497.0

538.1

580.1585.3

594.0

552.0

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Area ('000 ha)

Production ('000 tonnes)

Year

Are

a

Pro

du

ctio

n

Leading litchi producing states of India, 201

(Data source: NHB, Govt of India;

Area, Production and Productivity

(Data source: NHB, Govt of India;

8.2

6.4

5.2

4.83.5

Leading litchi producing states of India, 2013

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Are

a (

'00

0 h

a)

Leading litchi producing states of India, 2013-14

(Data source: NHB, Govt of India; http://nhb.gov.in/area-pro/NHB_Database_2015.pdf

Productivity of Litchi in Different States during

(Data source: NHB, Govt of India; http://nhb.gov.in/area-pro/NHB_Database_2015.pdf

40.0

16.0

3.4 2.4

Leading litchi producing states of India, 2013-14 (%)

Year 2013-14

4

pro/NHB_Database_2015.pdf)

of Litchi in Different States during 2013-14

pro/NHB_Database_2015.pdf)

14 (%)

Bihar

West Bengal

Assam

Chhatisgarh

Uttarakhand

Punjab

Odisha

Tripura

Others

0

50

100

150

200

250P

rod

uct

ion

'00

0 M

T

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Pro

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ctiv

ity

(M

T/h

a)

Year 2013-14

Year 2013-14

The Major Litchi Producing Belts in India

� Bihar (Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, East Champaran, West

Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Bhagalpur)

� West Bengal (Murshidabad, 24-Paraganas)

� Assam (Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Golaghat,

Kamrup, Nalbari, Barpeta,Bongaigaon, Nagaon)

� Chhatisgadh (Korba, Raigarh, Surguja, Jashpur, Surajpur, Balrampur,

Koriya, Narayanpur)

� Uttarakhand (Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar, Pithauragarh, Nainital,

Haridwar)

� Punjab (Gurdaspur, Ropar, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur)

� Uttar Pradesh (Saharanpur, Kushinagar, Meerut)

� Jharkhand (Ramgarh, Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Gumla)

� Tripura

Gaps Identified for Litchi Research

� Narrow genetic base with very short period of availability of fruits

� Short shelf life and high post-harvest losses

� Lack of canopy architecture management and efficient planting system

� Lack of proper water and nutrient management

� Poor post-harvest management and product diversification

� Unavailability of quality planting material