Kachai: The lemon village of India

Kachai Village in the Ukhrul district of Manipur is home to a unique lemon variety with unparalleled sourness and high yields. The Kachai Champra lemon contains 51 percent ascorbic acid, the highest among all citrus fruits. Other lemon varieties have only 20 to 30 percent ascorbic acid.

The juice content in Kachai lemon is 36 to 56 ml per fruit, which has a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. 

The village is home to people of the Tangkhul Naga tribe. It is around 140 km from the state capital, Imphal and 46 km from the Ukhrul district headquarters. Kachai lemon plants look like flower trees during harvest, laden with large, bright yellow lemons. The green trees dotted with yellow lemons are a sight to behold.

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With a rising demand, educated young people in Kachai are increasingly turning to lemon farming. They are transitioning from small backyard orchards, where they cultivated 30 to 60 lemon trees, to large-scale commercial orchards spanning 500 to 3,000 lemon trees. 

This shift has led to a rapid rise in the number of lemon trees in the village, promising significant economic benefits and improved living standards for growers. 

The village is also home to the Kachai Fruit Farming & Co-operative Society Ltd, which manages a 50-hectare farm provided by the Kachai Village Authority. Over 10,000 lemon trees have been planted there.

Processing and promoting Kachai lemons

Kachai Lemon is a prolific landrace with considerable economic potential. It is enjoyed fresh, juiced, and as a base for pickles. Citrus fruits are renowned for their vitamin C content and provide vitamin A, folic acid, and dietary fibre.

Also Read: How this farmer's profit increased 20 times after shifting to organic lemon farming 

Fresh Kachai lemon can be stored at room temperature for several days or refrigerated for weeks. Freshly squeezed juice remains stable in the refrigerator for nutritional purposes over several weeks.

Food processing has led to various value-added products made from Kachai Lemon. These include juice, squash, ready-to-serve beverages, and pickles. 

The ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre has developed a commercially viable technology to convert Kachai Lemon juice into powder. The ascorbic acid from the juice and pectin from the peel can also be extracted.

The Kachai Lemon Festival is held annually during the second week of January. The primary goal of organising the Kachai Lemon Festival is to motivate and support lemon growers and other farmers by providing a platform where they can interact with scientists and agricultural experts, as well as participate in buyer-seller meets.

Also Read: How farmers can earn more with organic farming 

The festival has significantly increased the popularity of Kachai Lemon, enhancing its market value and providing a substantial boost to the incomes of local lemon growers.

At its inception, the Kachai Fruit Farming & Co-operative Society Ltd. passed a resolution mandating every villager to plant at least 50 lemon saplings in their backyard. Today, the villagers are reaping the rewards of this initiative.

Recognising the tremendous potential of lemon cultivation, the current society members are promoting lemon planting in the neighbouring villages of Senapati and Ukhrul districts.

Also Read: How this MBA farmer clocks Rs 36 lakh per acre from gerbera farming

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