Union Minister Piyush Goyal has lauded the export of Assam’s GI-tagged Tezpur litchi to Dubai, describing the milestone as a step toward securing better returns for farmers and expanding opportunities for agricultural products from Northeast India. In a post on X, Goyal noted that the renowned Tezpur litchi, supported by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), has now reached foreign markets, bringing global recognition to the fruit and enhancing its value for cultivators.
The export coincided with the centenary celebrations of Tezpur’s litchi cultivation, marked by the two-day Tezpur Litchi Festival 2026. The event, organised by the Sonitpur district administration, concluded at the District Library in Tezpur and highlighted the century-old legacy of the GI-tagged fruit. During the festival, one tonne of assorted litchi varieties was shipped to Dubai, while 600 kilograms were exported to Singapore.
The consignments were flagged off by Sonitpur District Commissioner Anand Kumar Das in the presence of Tezpur MLA Prithviraj Rabha, District Agriculture Officer Pradeep Kumar Talukdar, Sadar Agriculture Officer Zakir Hussain, and other dignitaries.
Officials emphasised that the exports underscored the fruit’s growing reputation in both domestic and international markets, celebrated for its distinctive taste, rich flesh, and vibrant colour. At the festival, the popular Bombay variety fetched between Rs 40 and Rs 50 per fruit, with sales exceeding Rs 4 lakh in a single day.
Tezpur’s litchi legacy traces back to 1923, when Padmanath Gohain Baruah, noted litterateur and former chairman of Tezpur Municipality, established orchards in the town. Today, more than 150 farmers cultivate litchis across 400 bighas of land, according to the Agnigarh Agricultural Producers Group.
The festival also showcased a wide range of varieties, including Chahi, Bilati, Bombaiya, Piyaji, Chinese, Rongiya, Kath Bombaiwa, and Elaichi litchis, reaffirming Tezpur’s place as a hub of litchi cultivation and innovation.
