Export more, please! Singapore envoy can't get enough of Tezpur litchis

Assam's famed GI-tagged Tezpur litchis are finding a growing fan base overseas.

Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, on Tuesday praised the fruit and urged more exports from the northeastern state.

"Enjoying very much my #Assam #tezpur #litchi. Many thanks to Hon CM @himantabiswa for introducing Singapore to this variety of sweet litchi. It is selling fast in Singapore. Export more please 🙏," Wong wrote on X on Tuesday.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma responded by saying he was delighted by the fruit's reception in the city-state.

"Thank you, HC Wong😊. I am delighted to know that Tezpur litchis are finding so many admirers in Singapore. We will make sure the next shipment arrives before they disappear from the shelves!😁," Sarma posted.

The exchange comes days after Assam exported around 600 kilograms of Tezpur litchis to Singapore as part of a broader push to take the fruit to international markets. Another tonne of different litchi varieties was exported to Dubai during the recently concluded Tezpur Litchi Festival 2026.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier hailed the export drive, saying Assam's renowned GI-tagged Tezpur litchi was "now spreading its sweetness in foreign markets."

"With the support of APEDA, the first export shipment of Tezpur litchi has departed for Dubai. This step will give the region's litchi global recognition, provide farmers with better prices, and create new opportunities for agricultural products from Northeast India," Goyal said.

The exports coincided with celebrations marking 100 years of litchi cultivation in Tezpur. The two-day Tezpur Litchi Festival, organised by the Sonitpur district administration, showcased the century-old legacy of the fruit, which is known for its distinctive taste, rich flesh and vibrant colour.

This year, the popular Bombay variety of Tezpur litchi fetched between Rs 40 and Rs 50 per fruit. Litchis worth more than Rs 4 lakh were sold at the festival venue in a single day.

Tezpur's litchi story dates back to 1923, when noted litterateur and former Tezpur Municipality chairman Padmanath Gohain Baruah established litchi orchards in the town. Today, more than 150 farmers cultivate litchis across over 400 bighas of land in the region, according to the Agnigarh Agricultural Producers Group.