Shahi
Muzaffarpur's flagship litchi, registered as 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' (GI, 2018). NHB: heavy bearer, large oval to oblong-conical fruit, 90–100 kg a tree, ripening from the third week of May.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Litchi
- Type
- Air-layer (clonal variety)
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- Ripens from the third week of May (NHB, Muzaffarpur)
- Expected yield
- 90–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Shahi is the best-known litchi of Bihar's Muzaffarpur belt. NHB describes it as a heavy-bearing table variety with large, oval to oblong-conical fruit. When ripe, the skin shows crimson-red tubercles on a green background. A full-grown tree averages 90–100 kg of fruit. The name 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' was registered as a Geographical Indication in 2018. The tag belongs to Shahi grown in the Bihar area named in the registration, not to the variety everywhere. NHB puts ripening in the third week of May. The date moves with the year and the place, so go by your own trees.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Shahi if you farm in the Muzaffarpur belt and sell fresh fruit. NHB gives it 90–100 kg a tree, the highest average of the seven varieties compared here, and large fruit. It ripens from the third week of May, almost with China, so it will not spread your picking by itself. Pick Calcuttia if you want fruit weeks later, in the last week of June. Pick Rose Scented for a smaller lot sold on aroma and sweetness (20% TSS). Pick Early Bedana if being first to market matters more than yield.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timePlant in August–September, after the monsoon has set in (NHB).
- Spacing8 × 8 m square. Keep 10 m apart where the tree spread is large (NHB).
- Sowing methodPlant an air-layered (gootee) plant, 6–9 months old, in a 1 m³ pit filled with top-soil, 20–25 kg FYM, 2 kg bone-meal and 400 g sulphate of potash. Water straight after planting (NHB).
- IrrigationWater young plants often, in a basin. Stop irrigation four months before flowering. The critical period is the end of January to the start of the monsoon, while the fruit grows. Missing it causes fruit drop and cracking (NHB).
- FertilizerPer tree (NHB): FYM 10–20 kg in the planting year, adding 4 kg every year up to 60 kg on a mature tree. A mature tree also gets 2.2 kg ammonium sulphate, 1.2 kg superphosphate and 1.2 kg potassium sulphate. Give FYM, superphosphate and potash in September, and the nitrogen in two parts: mid-February and after harvest.
- HarvestingPick fully ripe fruit: red colour, at least 25 mm across, tubercles flattened and the shell smooth. Cut whole bunches with a piece of twig and a few leaves. For a distant market, pick slightly early, when the colour has just started to turn (NHB).
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Deep, well-drained loam rich in organic matter. Sandy loam and clayey loam also suit (NHB).
- pH
- 5.5–7
- Irrigation
- Water table at least 1.5–2 m below the surface (NHB).
Climate
- Temperature
- About 21°C (February) to 38°C (June) maximum in litchi tracts
- Rainfall
- >125 cm, well spread through the year
- Climate
- Winter frost and dry summer heat damage the plant and crack the fruit. Constant rain at flowering interferes with pollination. Litchi grows up to 800 m, but does best at lower elevations (NHB).
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Heavy bearer with large fruit: NHB gives 90–100 kg a tree, the highest average of the seven varieties here
- The registered GI name 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' (2018) for fruit from the named Bihar area
- Ripens from the third week of May, ahead of the June varieties
Things to consider
- The GI name covers Shahi grown in the named Bihar area. Shahi grown elsewhere cannot be sold under it.
- It starts ripening in the same week as China (third week of May), so the two do not stretch your picking season.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Bihar (Muzaffarpur belt)
Before you print the GI name on a box
The name 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' was registered as a Geographical Indication in 2018. The applicant was the Litchi Growers Association of Bihar, in Muzaffarpur. The registration covers Shahi grown in a named area of Bihar, not Shahi grown anywhere.
News reports name Muzaffarpur and the districts next to it. The registry listing is wider and also names districts such as Darbhanga. Do not rely on either from memory. Read the registered list, and check on the GI Registry that the registration is current. The registry record (application 552, filed 20 June 2016) shows it valid up to 19 June 2026, and IP India's list of registered GIs as on 31 December 2025 still carries it. That date has now passed and we could not find a renewal entry, so do not assume the tag is still in force until you have seen it.
If your orchard is outside the named area, sell the fruit as Shahi and say where it was grown. If you buy plants, write the variety name on the bill.
Where the planting material comes from
This variety is raised by layering: a branch is made to root while still attached to the tree, then cut away and planted. Seed out of its fruit will not give the variety back. Take layers from a known mother tree of this variety, or buy plants from a registered nursery or a government farm.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Litchi variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bombai | An early West Bengal table litchi for fresh sale in the first half of May | Early, ripens first to second week of May (NHB) | 80–90 kg/tree/year at full bearing | West Bengal |
| Calcuttia | A late, very sweet table litchi for hotter northern areas, if you can give wind protection and water | Late, ripens in the last week of June (NHB) | 80–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Northern India, Hotter areas with wind protection and irrigation |
| China | A semi-dwarf litchi for Muzaffarpur-belt orchards where a yearly mite check is part of the routine | Ripens from the third week of May (NHB, Muzaffarpur) | 80–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Bihar |
| Dehradun | A late, rose-pink litchi for farmers who can keep soil moisture steady through fruit growth | Late, ripens from the third week of June (NHB) | 80–90 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab |
| Early Bedana (Early Seedless) | The earliest litchi for table sale or processing, when a regular crop matters more than the biggest crop | The earliest variety (NHB gives no date) | 50–60 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab |
| Rose Scented | A sweet, rose-scented table litchi to grow beside Shahi for buyers who ask for aroma | Mid-season, starts ripening in the first week of June (NHB) | 80–90 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Bihar (Muzaffarpur belt) |
| Shahithis page | A heavy-bearing Muzaffarpur-belt table litchi, sold under the 2018 GI name 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' | Ripens from the third week of May (NHB, Muzaffarpur) | 90–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Bihar (Muzaffarpur belt) |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Litchi is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Litchi plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Litchi variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Litchi into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Litchi rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Litchi seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell Shahi from my orchard as 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar'?
Only if the orchard is in the Bihar area named in the 2018 GI registration. The tag goes with the place as well as the variety. Shahi grown elsewhere is still Shahi, but not the GI fruit. News reports and the registry list the districts a little differently, so check the registered list and its current status before you print the name on a box.
When should I pick Shahi?
NHB puts Shahi's ripening in the third week of May, but the real date shifts with the year and place. Pick by the fruit: red colour, at least 25 mm across, flattened tubercles and a smooth shell. Litchi does not ripen after picking. For a distant market pick a little early, when the colour has just started to turn.
How can I tell Shahi fruit from China at a glance?
NHB describes Shahi as oval to oblong-conical, with crimson-red tubercles on a green background. China is medium-large and globose, with a mix of red and orange. Bombai is large and obliquely heart-shaped. Shape and colour will separate them in the crate.
How much will one Shahi tree give, and how soon?
NHB gives 90–100 kg a tree for a full-grown Shahi. It says litchi comes to bearing in 3 to 4 years with good care, but another NHB page says it takes at least six years to flower and fruit. Plan for the later date. A young tree gives much less than the full figure.
How long does Shahi keep after picking?
Only a few days at room temperature, and the shell starts to brown within 24 hours at 20–30°C. NHB says cold storage keeps litchi 3–4 weeks. For under two weeks, 7°C is enough, with 90–95% humidity. Pack the same day, out of the sun.
Sourced from: Varieties — NHB, Litchi, Planting — NHB, Litchi, Soil and climate — NHB, Litchi, Irrigation — NHB, Litchi, Manuring and fertilization — NHB, Litchi, Harvesting — NHB, Litchi. editorial policy.