Dehydrated litchies sell like hot cake in the United States, particularly among people of Chinese origin.

This year, Bihar had produced 2,80,220 metric tonnes of litchies. AFL plans to hike export of dehydrated litchies from the state Bihar next year.To maintain high standards and meet the specifications of the importing countries, the AFL, which has a factory at Hajipur (nearPatna) has already set up Italian equipment. "We have to maintain the cold chain and from the orchard in Bihar to the market place in Europe, the entire operation is done in a range of two to 12 degree celsius," Talapatra said. There are three other companies in Bihar which are in the same business. This year AFL has been able to reap the maximum benefits on the export front.

AFL, at its Hajipur unit, has set-up a pre-cooling unit with a five-metric tonne capacity and along with it the company has a cold storage to store five metric tonnes of the product. Since the export of the product is seasonal, the company hires refrigerated vans for transportation from the orchards in Muzzaffarpur, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Dharbhanga and Vishali to the factory at Hajipur. With infrastructure facilities in Bihar "not up to the mark", the fruit exporters in the state have been asking the government to improve road conditions. Exporters in the state also demand setting up of a custom clearance department at Patnaairport.

Initially, the Bihar State Export Corporation had taken-up such matters with the central government, but since lack of pursuance the matter is still pending with the centre."Road construction is under the state subject and the state government should repair the roads. Most of the products are destroyed during its transportation from the orchard to Hajipur," he said, adding that it was time for all the exporters in Bihar to form a consortium and develop trade in the state as "joint effort".