Patna: Lucrative business of ‘shahi-litchi’ has been hit in last three days after experts collected samples of litchi to identify the virus strain that has claimed the lives of over 70 children in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, officials said.
Traders and exporters of ‘shahi-litchi’ are worried as their sale has fallen substantially and export orders are markedly down following reports that there might be some litchi link with the outbreak of suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).
“We have witnessed nearly 40 percent decline in sale of litchis in the last three days after it was reported that AES has some connection with this sweet and juicy summer fruit,” K.P. Thakur, managing director of Litchica International, said Saturday.
Thakur said his company supplied litchis from Muzaffarpur to southern part of the country. “It appears that the fear of AES has forced the wholesalers to cut down its demand,” he said.