Litchi business badly affected due to poor marketting

MUZAFFARPUR: The prices of litchi have alarmingly slumped here in the absence of a proper market network amidst a bumper production resulting in a heavy loss to the growers and traders.

According to one of the biggest litchi orchard owners of Muzaffarpur district, Bholanath Jha, the growers have been forced to sell their fruit in the orchards at the rate of only Rs 7 to Rs 8 per kg in retail whereas it is being sold at Rs 125 to Rs 150 in Delhi, Rs 150 in Mumbai and Rs 200 per kg in Chennai. However, four entrepreneurs running litchi processing plants have offered Rs 22 per kg to the growers.

Compared to last year’s production of only 1.50 lakh tones in Bihar, favourable climatic conditions have led to a production of about 3.50 lakh tones of litchi in the state this year, including 80,000 tonnes in Muzaffarpur district. Last year, growers had received a good price of Rs 10 per kg in orchards.

This year, the litchi growers might have benefitted the most due to a good harvest if the government had helped them in developing market network as assured time and again. Had the state government equipped its market yards for litchi trade this year or had the Union government provided cargo chartered planes or adequate space in parcel vans in long-distance trains, the picture could have been a bit different, Jha bemoaned.

The government of India washed its hands off by setting up a National Research Centre for Litchi here. The scientists engaged in research work have not yet been able to develop any new variety of litchi during the last five years which could have matched in weight and size with those of China or Thailand.

It is true the aroma, scent and sweetness of Muzaffarpur’s Shahi litchi is matchless in the world, but its short season of only 20 to 25 days in a year is not worth it deserves. The season of Shahi litchi, which began from May 25 last, is closing with the attack of insects on its upper portion. Now, China variety has come to the market and it is likely to continue for a week from now.

The traditional system of litchi market is still continuing. Some middlemen from big cities like Delhi, Lucknow and Varanasi come here much before the flowering of the fruit. They purchase orchards from orchard owners and start nourishing the trees by properly irrigating, manuring and spraying booster drugs and insecticides on them. They also spend big amount on transport and sell the fruit in boxes to `gaddidars’ or wholesalers of big markets like Azad Market of Delhi who actually finance these middlemen to purchase orchards. These gaddidars pay price as per quality of the fruit. But many growers prefer to sell them in orchards at prevailing prices.

Sources said on Friday that more than 1,000 boxes of litchi booked for Mumbai were dumped in parcel godown for the last five days in absence of space in trains. They are now sure to dry and get damaged. Now, the traders are trying to take them to Patna Junction for dispatching them to Mumbai. Hardly 500 to 1,000 boxes are sent by trains daily while more than 150 trucks are leaving Chandni Chowk, a suburb of Muzaffarpur town, daily mostly for Delhi.

The world-famous Muzaffarpur litchi requires positive help from the government to boost the trade of this seasonal fruit to enhance the rural economy of Bihar. A little more than lip service might go a long way to improve the economic condition of farmers and even earn foreign exchange.

Fresh litchi was not exported this year, but a couple of traders, engaged in litchi processing industry, are sending litchi juice and pulp to several European countries, besides the US even without any government help.