Major Lychee growing areas in Nepal

Lychee is a sub-tropical crop and needs sub-tropical frost free areas during winter and favours well-drained moist soil rather than dry soil. It is, therefore, the Terai districts of the Central Developmental Region that have the highest areas under lychee followed by Terai districts of the Eastern Development Region. The lowest areas under lychee are in the Western, Mid-Western and Far Western regions of the country (Table 1 and 2).

The Terai districts under the Central Development region where the area under lychee is highest are: Sharlahi, Bara, Parsa, Chitwan, Dharusa, Mahotari and Rautahat with a total area of 817 hectares.

The Terai districts of the Eastern Development Region where lychee is commercially grown are: Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari and Siraha with a total area of 309.7 hectares.

The Terai districts under the Western Development Region where lychee is slowly reaching commercial scale are: Nawalparasi, Rupendehi and Kapilbastu with a total area of 206.7 hectares.

Banke, Bardia and Dang are the Terai districts of the Mid-Western Region.

Kailali and Kanchapur districts of the Far Western Development Region are also emerging as the commercial lychee growing areas in recent years.

The following hill districts are commercially utilized for lychee production:

Western Development Region - Gorkha, Lanjung, Tanahu, Kaski, Parbat, Syanja, Palpa, Myagdi, Baglung, Gulmi and Aoghakhachi districts

Central Development Region - Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Kavre, Nuwakot, Dhading and Makawanpur districts.

Eastern Development Region - Panchthar, Illam, Terahathum, Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, and Udaipur districts.

Mid-Western Development Region - Surkhet, Puthan and Dailekh hill districts.

Far-Western Development Region - Dadeldhura and Doti districts.