Q. 1 How would you describe the market potential for the processing of Litchi-based products and the opportunities for Litchi processing at a micro food processing level?

Litchi-based products like litchi beverages including Litchi Squash, Litchi RTS, etc., Canned Litchi, Litchi Nuts, Litchi Wine, etc. are nowadays getting popular due to their pleasant taste, flavor, and nutritive values. Litchi has a major problem with ashort shelf life period. Hence, the conversion of Litchi fruit to value-added products at a micro-processing level can be a boon to farmers linked to its farming and processing. The market potential of Litchi-based products can be understood from the statistics of the production and processing of Litchi in recent years. According to the survey report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India, the area under Litchi production was estimated as 99,200 ha with a total production of 7,26,000 MT and a productivity of 7.5 MT/ha (3rd advance estimate of 2021-22). Despite such a huge production, only 2% of Litchi is getting processed, while more than 20% of losses are incurred at various stages of Litchi utilization from farm to fork. This itself shows a great need for the processing of Litchi into processed products and to commercialize its product. This indirectly generates a huge market potential for micro-food processing enterprises.

Another problem with Litchi cultivation in India is its small-scale production and distributed farms with fewer trees. So, generating Litchi processing facilities at a small scale as in micro food processing level can help in better utilization of Litchi and can also contribute to enhancing the income of farmers as well as can reduce the loss faced by them due to their short shelf life. Indian Litchi variety “Shahi” is gaining popularity due to its specific aroma and taste. It is not just a fruit for the North Indians,especially Bihar but it represents a symbol of pride for the locals. Apart from that, our government is supporting micro-food processing industries with easy capital facilities, and subsidies on various food processing equipment and operations. These factors give a wide opportunity for Litchi processing at the micro level in India.

Q. 2 Could you please tell us about the support and facilities provided by the ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi to micro food processing enterprises?

National Research Centre on Litchi, being a premierinstitute for the Litchi fruit in our country caters several support and facilities to micro food processing enterprises.As per the queries, demands, and doubts of growers, entrepreneurs, traders, and other stakeholders from different parts of the country, NRC Litchi gives suitable suggestions. NRC Litchi has a dedicated team of scientists and technicians who are continuously working hard to generate better cultivation practices, yield and post-harvest operations for Litchi. For an enterprise, NRC Litchi is giving all the support for pilot scale processing of fruits with dipping treatment to enhance the shelf life of Litchi, mechanical peeling and pulping of Litchi and Litchi honey processing. A micro-level industry can easily collaborate with the center and can avail the facilities dedicatedly, provided at the research center. The institute is well equipped with many facilities related to post-harvest processing of litchi and, it has a team of experts who can give proper information to the farmers for the complete operations involved in litchi production and processing.A honey processing unit is also available for the farmers to clarify the honey and reduction of moisture content to a desirable safe limit. Farmers and entrepreneurs can visit the various facilities provided at the center; they can also take professional training for the complete processing of Litchi.

Q. 3 What are your thoughts on the scope of value addition in Litchi processing?

There is a wide scope of value addition in Litchi, both from research and industry point of view. Litchi being a very short-season perishable non-climacteric fruit, needs to be processed properly to be utilizedfor the whole year. Value addition is the key to better utilization and consumption of Litchi throughout the year and around the globe. Litchi-based value-added products are gaining a lot of popularity because of their specific essence, taste, appearance, and mouthfeel. From a research point of view, value addition can meet with the extension in the shelf life of litchi, thus increasing the per capita availability of Litchi fruits all around the country. From an industry point of view value addition is the key to the success of any food-based industry. Value-added Litchi products are in high demand in Indian and foreign markets. The high perishability of Litchi is also giving scope for its value addition.Litchi fruits which fetch merely Rs. 80 -120 /kg in India can be processed to prepare squash, RTS, etc. to generate a huge profit. It can also generate employment opportunities for the people throughout the year. Many value-added products from Litchi are still in the pipeline, which can transform the market demand forLitchi heavily. Value addition in Litchi not only can enhance the income of processing industries, but also can increase the cultivation of the fruit. Value-added products of Litchi like Litchi squash, RTS, canned Litchi, Litchi nut, Litchi candy, jam, jelly, leather, Litchi kishmish, etc. are day by day getting popularized in the market. It will encourage farmers to adopt new technologies, better varieties, and better agricultural practices to enhance the yield to meet the supply. With better processing facilities, the wastage of fruits gets lowered and farmers get the appropriate price for their products. Value addition with better market linkage, and supply chain facilities enable more people to engage in the business and generate a source of employment for them.

Q. 4 With the immense experience that you have gathered over the period, how do you think the PMFME Scheme would be able to empower micro food processing enterprises?

PMFME is a scheme that is aimedat empowering small-scale entrepreneurship in the food processing sector. Under the objectives of the scheme, it can be clearly visualized that this scheme promotes credit access to new and existing food processing enterprises, transforms them from the informal to the formal sector, helps in supply chain management through branding, and enhances the institutional link up of industries to avail the facilities on a pilot basis for better growth of the enterprises. Under the One District One Product (ODOP)component of the scheme, perishable agri-products like mango, litchi, potato etc. are mainly focused and incentivized for better supply chain management to reduce post-harvest losses. It can empower Litchi growers in the vicinity of the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, where Shahi Litchi is recognized under ODOP. Taking advantage of this scheme, ICAR-NRCL has also contributed a lot to improving the conditions of Litchi growers by availing them of technologies for the cultivation practices, management,and post-harvest processing of Litchi. The regular training organized by the institute under the PMFME Scheme has helped budding entrepreneurs in this field to prosper. Litchi processing can be considered a huge profit-building business. However, the infrastructural facilities and initial investment is the major challenge. The PMFME Scheme has helped in both aspects through its objectives.

Q. 5 What would be your advice to aspiring food processing entrepreneurs?

Aspiring food processing entrepreneurs should take advantage of government schemes. They should have proper knowledge of each scheme and all the legal guidelines so that they can harness maximum benefit from these schemes. As aspiring entrepreneurs, people should try to visitareas in their vicinity, address the problems related to food processing in their vicinity, and they should consult with the local agricultural universities, KVKs or research centers to find solutions. In the present era, many government schemes are facilitating entrepreneurs in capital investment. Also, many institutes provide regular training, workshops, seminars, etc. They should attend such events to get maximum benefit out of these. Apart from that, many institutes have pilot processing plants, where entrepreneurs can nurture their budding ideas, can study market behaviour and supply chain management. Overall, there is a huge demand for entrepreneurs in our country, so aspiring entrepreneurs should try to generate ideas, research on their ideas, and adopt them for the betterment of society.

About the Guest

Dr.Bikash Das is a well-known horticulturist and the current Director of ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi in India. With over 22 years of experience in research and extension in the field of Horticulture-based production systems under the hill and plateau regions of eastern India, Dr. Das has made significant contributions to the development of this sector.He has released two varieties of Jackfruit and one variety each of Litchi and Bael, which have become popular among farmers in the region. He has also standardized production technologies like ultra-high density in Guava and fruit-based multitier systems, and rejuvenation in Mango, which have helped farmers increase their productivity and profitability.

Dr. Das has contributed significantly to the expansion of fruit crops in Jharkhand through technological backstopping to implementing agencies. His efforts have helped many farmers adopt modern farming practices and increase their income. His work has also helped in the development of new varieties of fruits that are more resilient to the climatic conditions of the region.