Muzaffarpur: The National Research Centre on Litchi at Mushahari has drafted a comprehensive plan to boost litchi cultivation under the integrated farming scheme. At the same time, the centre is exploring ways to popularise Shahi and China, two popular varieties of litchi already harvested in north Bihar for decades, to other states, including Karnataka and Kerala.

Principal scientist S.D. Pandey said: "The centre's efforts to plant Shahi and China saplings, after necessary laboratory treatment in 2013, in Karnataka and Kerala, has proved to be a big hit. The litchi trees are loaded with fruits there and it is expected to be plucked in December."

He added: "This is a big achievement by the centre - cultivation of Bihar litchi in Karnataka and Kerala. The centre will now moot a plan to persuade the governments of southern states to harvest litchi of the Shahi and China varieties. On the other hand, in view of the growing demand for litchi in the market, the centre has outlined a plan to boost farming in new areas and experiment harvesting in lowlands, waterbeds and waterlogged areas under the integrated farming scheme."

Scientists of the centre believe farmers of flood-ravaged regions in north Bihar - Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Motihari, Darbhanga and Madhubani - will benefit if they embraced integrated farming scheme, said the principal scientist of the centre, S.K. Purbe.

Litchi growers have also been told to grow papaya, guava and banana trees in their litchi orchards to increase their source of income.

The centre is also encouraging traditional farmers to plant new trees of litchi on fresh plots.

Currently, litchi is farmed across 40,000- 50,000 hectares of land mostly in the north Bihar region. Commenting on the integrated farming scheme, Pankaj Singh, a litchi grower of Rahuva village, said he has already planted papaya and guava trees on his litchi orchard with guidance from the National Research Centre.