Ready for tomorrow

Fast, insight-rich analysis of news that matters to you | long-reads that outlive the news cycle

Now Reading:

The stink bug crisis eating into Bihar’s litchi economy
  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large

The stink bug crisis eating into Bihar’s litchi economy

A pest outbreak and erratic weather have devastated Bihar’s famed Shahi litchi crop, with losses reaching 70% in some orchards and threatening the livelihoods of farmers, labourers, packers and transporters who depend on the short summer harvest

Normally, in mid-May, a heavy, sweet scent fills the air in villages of Muzaffarpur, signalling the ripening of premium-grade Shahi litchis. This year, orchards in the region smell of damp earth and rot, owing to a pest attack and sudden weather changes that have destroyed thousands of kilos of the fruit.

Read the full article

login now

Join us and get access to insightful, multimedia storytelling like you have never seen before.