Shahi Litchi, ‘Langara aam’ from Bihar to be exported to New Zealand, Bahrain, Qatar

In a major boost to the ‘brand Bihar’, the government has outlined a plan to export Geographical Indication (GI) tagged ‘Shahi Litchi’ and ‘Langara aam’ to new overseas markets including New Zealand, Mauritius, Qatar and Bahrain.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) recently organised a virtual meeting of international fruit exporters and importers with the Bihar-based Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for the promotion of Bihar’s ‘Langara aam’ and ‘Shahi Litchi’ in overseas markets of Mauritius, New Zealand, Bahrain, Qatar, the UK and the UAE.

The APEDA in association with the Bihar Fruit & Vegetable Development Corporation (BFVDC) will soon send sample shipments along with considerable quantity of Langara aam and Shahi Litchi to Mauritius, New Zealand, Bahrain and Qatar. Modalities of sending sample shipments are being finalized. These countries are the new addition this year.

“Last year, the APEDA had sent sample shipments of GI-tagged Zardalu Mangoes of Bhagalpur and Shahi Litchi to several European and Gulf countries”, C B Singh, Regional In-charge (UP, Bihar, Uttarakhand) of APEDA told PTI.

Just like Alfonso mangoes from Maharashtra, Kesar from Gujarat, Banaganapalli from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh Banarasi Langra are sold in the international market, the APEDA wants to promote Bihar’s Langara aam and Shahi Litchi in overseas markets of Mauritius, New Zealand, Bahrain and Qatar.

The process to send the first lot of sample shipments of Shahi Lithci to Bahrain and Qatar has already started. This is for the first time Bihar’s litchis are being sent to Bahrain and Qatar, Singh said, adding sample shipments of Langara aam will also be sent very soon.

The APEDA and BFVDC are also working on making the process of sending consignments of Langara and Zardalu mangoes and Shahi litchi to international markets more cost effective as the total cost of sending mangoes of coastal states to the overseas markets is cheaper. The ‘Langra’ mangoes are primarily grown in the gangetic plains of Bihar.

The APEDA, an apex organization under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is mandated with the responsibility for promotion and development of the export of agro products from India. It provides the crucial interface between farmers, storehouses, packers, exporters, surface transport, ports, railways, airways, and others engaged in export trade to the international market.

“Yes, the BFVDC in association with APEDA are finalising the plan of sending sample shipments of Bihar’s Langara aam and Shahi litchi to the overseas markets of Mauritius, New Zealand, Bahrain and Qatar. These are new countries where our popular fruits will reach this year. It is the endeavor of the Bihar government to make a successful entrepreneurs. The BFVDC and APEDA effort is to promote farmer-trader direct interaction for exploring possibilities of boosting fruit exports from Bihar”, the Managing Director of the BFVDC, Nand Kishor, told PTI.

The ‘Shahi Lichi’ and ‘Zardalu Mango’ of Bhagalpur are already famous in the world by virtue of their unique fragrance and demand everywhere, he said.