In Bihar, First Litchi Of The Season Ripens At Eidgah

Litchi, scientifically known as Litchi chinensis Sonn, is a fruit that comes from tropical to subtropical regions, originally from South-east Asia. It’s popular worldwide for its delicious taste, semi-clear white aril and red skin. Many countries now grow litchi commercially. In places like Australia, China, Israel, South Africa, and Thailand, litchi farming has grown a lot in recent years. In a recent news update, litchi from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur is said to have ripened, and harvesting has started. The shipments are headed to Delhi. The litchi from Eidgah is said to have ripened first. This is the case every year, and no one till date knows the reason behind it.

When Local 18’s team went to the Eidgah orchard, farmer and businessman Mohammad Nizamuddin said they always pick litchis here first. This year, too, the litchis here are the earliest to ripen. They’re packing them and sending them to Azadpur Mandi in Delhi. The farmer mentioned they don’t wait for orders; they send the produce directly to the market from here. He also said this is their first harvest, and the price should be at least Rs 125 to Rs 130 per kilogram.

According to scientists and the Litchi Producers Association, harvesting has already begun at the litchi garden within the Eidgah on Gaushala Road. The fruits are being sent to Delhi via train. Farmers assert that the litchis from the Idgah ripen first and are thus harvested earliest there. Consequently, farmers are currently occupied with harvesting in the Eidgah orchards, packaging the litchis into wooden crates, and shipping them to Delhi.

The Shahi Litchi from Muzaffarpur is renowned not only in India, but globally, for its unique flavour. It holds a special GI tag. As usual, notable figures like the President and the Prime Minister will sample this esteemed litchi variety. Preparations are underway to transport the harvested litchis to Delhi. Although the season is running a bit behind schedule this year, the eagerly anticipated wait will soon come to an end.

Shahi Litchi is ahead of the rest. Dr Sunil Kumar, a scientist at the Litchi Research Center, explained that there are various types of litchis, and they each bloom and ripen at different times. In the Shahi Litchi variety, flowers appear earlier, whereas in the China variety, they appear a little later. This difference results in a gap of 10 to 15 days in harvesting.

In May 2019, a tragic incident took place in Muzaffarpur. 54 children passed away strangely after eating Shahi litchi. Doctors believed it could be because of something harmful present in the fruit. Shahi litchi is famous in Muzaffarpur. When people ate these fruits in an empty stomach, it made them ill. They had seizures, fell into comas, and sadly, many died, especially children. It was a very concerning situation.