Tezpur Litchi Festival Begins, Showcasing Assam’s Prized Fruit to Global Markets

Guwahati: The second edition of the Tezpur Litchi Festival commenced on Saturday at the District Library Auditorium in Tezpur where farmers, farmers' representatives, buyers, entrepreneurs, and experts of the litchi industry gathered to promote Tezpur's famed litchi crop and explore new market opportunities.

During the two-day event, it will also be an opportunity to reinforce market access for litchi growers and acknowledge the efforts of farmers and agri-entrepreneurs in the growth of the industry. During the inaugural session, Anand Kumar Das, the Organising Committee President and the District Commissioner of Sonitpur, informed that about one tonne Tezpur litchis will be exported to Dubai on Sunday and another consignment to Singapore will be sent on Sunday.

“We will also send around 100 packets of litchis to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Yesterday, we sent litchis to the Chief Minister as well. Through this festival, we hope Tezpur gains greater recognition across the world,” Das said.

The Festival has seen over 50 exhibitors, approximately 30 farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), with at the very least 20 domestic and international buyers visiting. The event will include exhibitions, technical sessions and buyer-seller interactions to increase business opportunities for local growers.

The inaugural programme began with floral tributes to Padmanath Gohain Baruah, credited with introducing improved varieties of litchi in Tezpur, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Sonitpur MP Ranjit Dutta and MLA Ashok Singhal were among the dignitaries present.

The festival will be continued on  7th June  with sessions on food technology, litchi cultivation and the advantages of the Geographical Indication (GI) tagging. The visitors will also get an opportunity to visit the orchards and watch culinary programs and litchi products tasting before the culmination of the event with the valedictory function and prize distribution ceremony.

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