Kodagu’s Off-Season Litchi Emerging as a Promising Focus Area

Farmers and horticulture experts discuss the growing potential of Kodagu’s off-season litchi during the Litchi Fruit Fest at the Horticultural Experiment Centre in Chettalli. (Representative image)

Chettalli: Kodagu’s off-season litchi is fast gaining prominence as a potential game-changer for horticulture in the district, with experts identifying it as a promising focus area for future expansion. The crop’s prospects were highlighted at the Litchi Fruit Fest held recently at the Horticultural Experiment Centre in Chettalli, which drew strong participation from both rural and urban farmers.

Inaugurating the event, Ajay Kumar Singh, former Vice-Chancellor of Bihar Agricultural University, said Indian Agricultural University is advancing research to expand litchi cultivation across various regions of the country. Among these, Kodagu’s unique climatic conditions, he noted, make it well-suited for off-season litchi production, offering farmers a valuable opportunity to diversify crops and boost income.

The fest was organised jointly by the Central Horticultural Experiment Station and the High Value and Foreign Horticultural Crops Development Association, underscoring the growing institutional interest in strengthening litchi cultivation.

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Dr. Bikas Das, Director of the National Litchi Research Institute, pointed out that litchi is traditionally grown in Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal, but off-season varieties are now drawing nationwide attention. He added that litchi development will receive increased priority under the upcoming five-year plan.

Highlighting local efforts, Bose Mandanna, honorary secretary of the Horticultural Crops Development Association and a senior progressive farmer, said the Chettalli station has been conducting extensive research on off-season litchi for several years.

Supporting the district’s potential, Professor T.K. Behara, Director of the Indian Hydroponics Research Institute, noted that the Western Ghats environment enables Kodagu to support a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, further strengthening the case for expanding litchi cultivation.

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