About Litchi
Litchi has one of the shortest seasons of any Indian fruit, a few weeks in May and June, and Muzaffarpur's Shahi Litchi is the most famous name.
Where Litchi Is Grown in Assam
The main litchi districts of Assam are Nagaon, Kamrup, Darrang. Assam is India's largest tea-growing state and grows rice in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, including the aromatic Joha rice. It is also an important producer of jute, ginger, arecanut, banana, rapeseed-mustard, masoor and vegetables.
Season in Assam
Mid-May to June. Exact arrival dates in Assam depend on local sowing and the monsoon, so check current arrivals before planning purchases.
How Litchi Is Sold in Assam
Farm produce is sold through regulated APMC market yards under the state's agricultural produce marketing law, run by the state agricultural marketing board, with many yards linked to eNAM. Guwahati is the main trading hub for the Northeast.
Key markets for Litchi in Assam
Other major markets in Assam
State Agencies in Assam
Litchi has no minimum support price, so it is bought almost entirely by private traders, processors and exporters. State marketing bodies regulate the markets and support farmer producer organisations.
- Assam State Agricultural Marketing BoardRegulated marketsAboutExplore
- Assam Food and Civil Supplies CorporationPaddy procurement supportAboutExplore
Quality and Price Notes
Litchi is sold fresh in bunches or loose in baskets lined with leaves, and processed into juice, squash, pulp and canned litchi. Because the fruit loses its red colour and moisture within two or three days, traders rush it from Muzaffarpur to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad by road, rail and air. Small volumes are flown to the Gulf and Europe.
Buyers want bright red, unblemished fruit of good size with a small seed; Shahi has a strong rose aroma and sells at a premium over China, which is larger and later. Pre-cooling, sulphur treatment for colour retention and reefer transport are slowly improving shelf life.
A heat wave or hailstorm in April–May causes fruit cracking and drop, which cuts supply; a good season can flood markets for a few weeks. Transport availability during the short harvest window matters more for litchi than almost any other fruit.
Buyers, Processors and Exporters
These companies and bodies buy, process or export litchi across India, including from Assam. Tap a name for details.
- INI Farms Pvt LtdExporter of bananas, pomegranates and grapes to about 35 countriesAboutExplore
- Freshtrop Fruits LtdAhmedabad · listed; grapes and pomegranate exporterAboutExplore
- KB Exports Pvt LtdMumbai · fresh fruit and vegetable exporter (KayBee)AboutExplore
- Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company LtdNashik · grapes, fruits and processingAboutExplore
- APEDAExport registration and residue control (GrapeNet, AnarNet, MangoNet)AboutExplore
Research and Advice in Assam
New varieties, crop advice and seed for litchi growers in Assam come from the state agricultural universities below and from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in each district.
Litchi in Other States
Bihar · West Bengal · Jharkhand · Uttarakhand · Punjab
Related: Litchi – all India · Assam · All crops
Names are listed for reference only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation. The About and Explore buttons open Google in a new tab; results there are generated by Google and third parties, not by this site. Prices, MSP, export rules and schemes change often. Nothing here is financial, legal or purchasing advice. Full disclaimer