Welcome to the website of ICAR–National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur.
Litchi is one of the most cherished fruit crops of India, renowned for its unique flavour, nutritional richness, and significant contribution to the livelihoods of thousands of farming families. India continues to be the second-largest producer of litchi in the world, with Bihar remaining the leading litchi-producing state and Muzaffarpur being globally recognized for its premium-quality fruits. The Geographical Indication (GI) status accorded to Shahi Litchi has further strengthened the identity and market value of Indian litchi.
Despite remarkable progress in production, the litchi sector continues to face several challenges, including climate variability, irregular flowering and fruiting, fruit cracking, post-harvest losses, emerging pests and diseases, and limited value addition and export opportunities. Addressing these challenges requires continuous innovation, scientific interventions, and strong collaboration among researchers, extension agencies, entrepreneurs, and farmers.
Established in 2001, ICAR–National Research Centre on Litchi has been at the forefront of research and development aimed at enhancing the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of litchi cultivation. The Centre is mandated to undertake basic, strategic, and applied research in crop improvement, genetic resource conservation and utilization, sustainable production technologies, integrated crop management, plant protection, post-harvest management, processing, and value addition.
Over the years, the Centre has developed and disseminated several farmer-friendly technologies that have contributed to improved orchard productivity, better fruit quality, efficient water and nutrient management, and enhanced post-harvest handling. The Centre also maintains valuable genetic resources of litchi and allied fruits, serving as a national repository for future breeding and research programmes.
Technology dissemination remains a core strength of the Centre. Through training programmes, front-line demonstrations, farmer-scientist interactions, entrepreneurship development programmes, digital advisories, and collaborations with state and national agencies, we strive to ensure that scientific innovations reach the farming community and other stakeholders effectively. Special emphasis is being placed on promoting value addition, processing, and agri-entrepreneurship to create additional income and employment opportunities in the litchi value chain.
As we move forward, our focus remains on developing climate-resilient technologies, improving resource-use efficiency, strengthening post-harvest and export-oriented research, and harnessing modern tools such as genomics, precision agriculture, and digital technologies for the sustainable growth of the litchi sector.
This website serves as a platform for sharing scientific information, technologies, publications, training opportunities, and institutional activities. I invite researchers, students, growers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and all stakeholders to engage with us and benefit from the knowledge resources available here.
Together, let us work towards a resilient, innovative, and globally competitive litchi sector that contributes to the prosperity of farmers and the advancement of Indian horticulture.