Assam Lemon (Kaji Nemu)
Grafted planting material, not true seed. A GI-tagged Northeast variety prized for its strong aroma and thin rind — grown almost nowhere outside Assam, where it commands a distinct local premium over ordinary kagzi lime.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Lemon & Lime
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- Bearing from year 3–4 (grafted plant)
- Expected yield
- 100–130 q/ha at full bearing
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- A traditional Assam variety, believed a natural seedling selection from the older 'Chinakaghi' Assamese lemon — not an ICAR/university-bred hybrid. GI-tagged in 2019 (exact date disputed: 5 January vs 10 May across sources) and declared Assam's official State Fruit on 13 February 2024.
About this variety
Kaji Nemu, marketed in the rest of India as 'Assam Lemon', is believed to have arisen as a natural seedling of 'Chinakaghi', an older, smaller, more acidic and seeded Assamese lemon type, per a directly-fetched Wikipedia article. It produces notably large, often seedless or near-seedless fruit — 60–100 g, 6–11.5 cm long, elongated-oblong to obovate — with a distinctive fragrance and the unusual habit of staying attached to the tree even after ripening. A mature tree is reported to yield 300–500 fruits, cited at roughly 20–30 tonnes/hectare, over a productive lifespan of 20–25 years, fruiting nearly year-round in two main flushes with a lighter patch November–January. Major growing districts named include Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Cachar, Chirang, Nalbari and Dima Hasao. The variety received a Geographical Indication tag in 2019 — sources disagree on the exact date (5 January per a directly-fetched Pratidin Time news report, 10 May per Wikipedia) — after the CRS Na-Dihing (Nemu Tenga) Development Committee filed the application with Assam Agricultural University in January 2018. On 13 February 2024, per the same Pratidin Time report, Assam's state cabinet formally declared it the state's official 'State Fruit', citing its unique aroma and antioxidant properties; the same report puts statewide annual production at roughly 1.58 lakh tonnes, cultivation by about 27 lakh farmers, and around 70,000 kg exported annually to markets including Dubai, London, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
Bearing from year 3–4 (grafted plant)
Expected yield
100–130 q/ha at full bearing
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Distinctive strong aroma and flavour that has made it Assam's signature lemon and now its officially declared State Fruit (February 2024)
- Large, often seedless or near-seedless fruit with a high reported per-tree yield (300–500 fruits, roughly 20–30 t/ha) and a long, 20–25 year productive tree life
- GI-tagged since 2019, giving it formal recognition and a growing export market (about 70,000 kg/year to Dubai, London, Abu Dhabi and Qatar per state figures)
Things to consider
- This record's own yieldPotential field (100–130 q/ha) sits well below the roughly 20–30 t/ha (200–300 q/ha) figure reported in Assam government/press sources — treat the record's figure as a conservative estimate rather than a ceiling
- This record's states field lists only 'Assam', consistent with every source found — Kaji Nemu is described as grown almost exclusively within Assam's own districts (Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Cachar, Chirang, Nalbari, Dima Hasao named specifically), not as a variety grown elsewhere
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Assam
Frequently asked questions
Is Assam Lemon the same as ordinary kagzi lime?
No — it's Kaji Nemu, a distinct traditional Assamese variety believed to be a natural seedling of an older local lemon called Chinakaghi, not the pan-India kagzi (acid) lime. It's larger, often seedless, and has its own strong, distinctive aroma.
Has Assam Lemon received any official recognition?
Yes — it received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019, and on 13 February 2024 the Assam state cabinet formally declared it the state's official 'State Fruit', citing its unique aroma and antioxidant properties.
Sourced from: Kaji Nemu — Wikipedia, Kaji Nemu Given 'State Fruit Of Assam' Recognition — Pratidin Time. editorial policy.