Veena Annadana
Well-Known Member
India: Bihar produces organic lychees
Farmers in north Bihar have come up with an innovation to help grow sales - an organic lychee.
"About 2,100 farmers in Muzaffarpur district have grown organic lychees in as much as 1,200 hectare of land covering 76 villages of Motipur, Meenapur and Kanti blocks," said Kundan Kumar Raju, project officer of International Panacea limited, an organization that provides inputs for organic farming. "We are expecting to produce around 15,000 metric tonne of organic lychees this year," Raju said.
"So far as certification is concerned, it is a three-stage process. The organic lychees produced here have already got C1 and C2 certificates. The final stage certificate, which is known as C3 certificate, would be given by OneCert Asia Agri Certification Private Limited, Jaipur, in May," he said.
"There is a big market for lychees in states like UP, Delhi and Maharashtra. Earlier, in south India, the market was confined to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Now Kerala is also showing interest in Bihari litchis. They are more interested in importing organic lychees being produced in Bihar," said Rakesh Kumar, the Muzaffarpur district horticulture officer.
"It is difficult for us to meet the demand for organic lychees from international markets," he added. "Bihar government gifts about 1,000kg every year to dignitaries like the country's president, vice-president, prime minister and other Union ministers. This season they will also get organic lychees," said Sarvajeet Kumar, deputy director of horticulture.
Lychees have been one of the unique selling points of Bihar state, which produces 55% of the national total.
Source: articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
India: Bihar produces organic lychees
Farmers in north Bihar have come up with an innovation to help grow sales - an organic lychee.
"About 2,100 farmers in Muzaffarpur district have grown organic lychees in as much as 1,200 hectare of land covering 76 villages of Motipur, Meenapur and Kanti blocks," said Kundan Kumar Raju, project officer of International Panacea limited, an organization that provides inputs for organic farming. "We are expecting to produce around 15,000 metric tonne of organic lychees this year," Raju said.
"So far as certification is concerned, it is a three-stage process. The organic lychees produced here have already got C1 and C2 certificates. The final stage certificate, which is known as C3 certificate, would be given by OneCert Asia Agri Certification Private Limited, Jaipur, in May," he said.
"There is a big market for lychees in states like UP, Delhi and Maharashtra. Earlier, in south India, the market was confined to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Now Kerala is also showing interest in Bihari litchis. They are more interested in importing organic lychees being produced in Bihar," said Rakesh Kumar, the Muzaffarpur district horticulture officer.
"It is difficult for us to meet the demand for organic lychees from international markets," he added. "Bihar government gifts about 1,000kg every year to dignitaries like the country's president, vice-president, prime minister and other Union ministers. This season they will also get organic lychees," said Sarvajeet Kumar, deputy director of horticulture.
Lychees have been one of the unique selling points of Bihar state, which produces 55% of the national total.
Source: articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
India: Bihar produces organic lychees