Muzaffarpur Bihar Litchi Shahi Harvest Cooperative

Muzaffarpur district in Bihar is India premier litchi-producing region, growing the prized Shahi variety with translucent white pulp, thick seed, and rose water fragrance. Litchi orchards in Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts stretch across the Gandak and Bagmati floodplains. The harvest season from late May to mid-June is intense — fruit must be picked, packed in locally cut lotus-leaf lined baskets, and dispatched within forty-eight hours to avoid deterioration. Cooperative packers in Muzaffarpur organise refrigerated trucks to Delhi, Kolkata, and airport cargo for Mumbai. GI recognition for Shahi Litchi was granted in 2018. Cooperative growers have faced market challenges during high-yield years when prices crash and exporters squeeze margins. APEDA facilitates overseas sales to UK, USA, and Gulf countries through cooperative exporter groupings.