Another red juicy jewel for the crown: Punjab's famed litchis rule Britannia

CHANDIGARH: Punjab's juicy jewels have found a London calling. Following last year's successful debut in England and its conquest with gentle sweetness, Punjab's famed litchis may soon find a place on fruit shelves around the world.
The state horticulture department, in partnership with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), is actively working to expand export markets for the sweet, ruby-red fruit grown in the foothills of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Hoshiarpur.
Punjab cultivates litchi across 3,250 hectares, yielding about 13,000 metric tonnes annually. The state's two prominent varieties - Dehradun and Calcuttia - are known for their colour, texture and natural sweetness, which experts say rival or exceed those from India's other major litchi-producing regions.
Shailender Kaur, director of horticulture for Punjab, said training sessions are being held to help farmers meet international export standards. "We're working closely with Apeda to explore more markets beyond England," she said.
"Farmers are being guided on plantation techniques, post-harvest handling, and packaging to ensure quality." Apeda officials said another training session is scheduled for the last week of April. The goal, they said, is to prepare growers for more stringent global requirements and help streamline licensing and export logistics.
The empire peels back
Last June, a 10-quintal consignment was shipped from Amritsar to England, sourced from progressive farmer Rakesh Dadwal of Muradpur village in Pathankot. The fruit was dispatched through Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport and received encouraging feedback from buyers in London.
Encouraged by the response, the state now plans to scale efforts by sending small batches to new international destinations.
"The aim is to create awareness about Punjab litchis in overseas markets," a senior government official said. "Once established, it could open up more lucrative opportunities for local farmers."
Among them is Amarjit Singh Kang, a grower hoping for better returns in coming years. "Right now, it's break-even," he said. "But even that's better than the domestic market. We sold at Rs 100 per kg here, but in London it fetched Rs 500." Punjab's litchis are in demand in Indian metrosbut the state is betting big on its global future.