Photo Courtesy: northeasttoday
Guwahati: Union Minister Piyush Goyal has praised the maiden export of Assam's GI-tagged Tezpur litchi to Dubai. The initiative, supported by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, aims to increase farmer income while expanding the global reach of agricultural goods from Northeast India.
The export milestone coincided with the Tezpur Litchi Festival 2026, a two-day event held at the District Library in Tezpur to honor the fruit's century-old legacy. During the celebration, officials flagged off one tonne of litchis for Dubai and 600 kilograms for Singapore. Sonitpur District Commissioner Anand Kumar Das oversaw the dispatch alongside MLA Prithviraj Rabha and agricultural department officials.
Goyal celebrated the achievement on social media, stating, "The renowned Tezpur litchi, supported by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, has now reached foreign markets, bringing global recognition to the fruit and enhancing its value for cultivators."
The festival highlighted the deep historical roots of the crop, which trace back to 1923 when Padmanath Gohain Baruah established the first local orchards. Today, over 150 farmers manage 400 bighas of land dedicated to the fruit. Visitors to the event sampled diverse varieties including Bombaiya, Chahi, and Elaichi litchis, with the popular Bombay variety selling for up to Rs 50 per fruit. With daily sales surpassing Rs 4 lakh, the event solidified the region's status as a premier hub for litchi production.
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