Need for promotion and conservation of Kachai Lemon

Prof RK Dilip Singh / Dr S Romen Singh / Dr M Chanchan *

14th district level Kachai Lemon Festival at Kachai village, Ukhrul in January 2018 :: Pix - DIPR Manipur

Introduction

Kachai Lemon (Citrus jambheri Lush.), locally known as Kachai Champra in Manipur, indigenous to Kachai village of Ukhrul district, Manipur, India, is one of the largest horticultural commodities produced in the State. Kachai Lemon is a landraces of rough lemon (Citrus jambheri Lush.) which belongs to the Rutaceac family with chromosome number 2n=18. The fruit is spheroid or round in shape and rough in texture.

However, fruit surface is smoother as compared to rough lemon. It is yellow to orange-yellow in colour having 9 to 10 segments; 7 to 19 seeds per fruit; average weight of 60-100 g per fruit; unique taste and flavor and rich source of vitamin C. It is grown in a typical sub-tropical climate characterized with extreme humidity in the day and very cool nights in the Kachai village of Ukhrul district.

The mean annual temperature ranges from 19-21 and rainfall varies from 1300-1500 mm feasible with excellent soil health that make Kachai Lemon so distinguished from other varieties of lemon like Champra which is very common in Manipur. It has a very high ascorbic acid content of 46-51% as against other varieties that are at 20-40%. It has a very unique taste and flavor and also the juice content is extremely high at 30-60 ml per fruit.

In Manipur, Kachai Lemon Festival is celebrated every year in the second week of January, with the intention to popularize Kachai Lemon and create a premium value and space in the domestic as well as export market.

Ukhrul district of Manipur alone produces more than 570 MT of lemon each year from about 840 ha of land. It is the “Pride of Manipur” as it has its distinctive identity at national and international platform and the uniqueness of Kachai Lemon was rewarded the prestigious geographical indication (GI-446) tag in 2014 along with black rice, Chakhao of Manipur.

Kachai lemon is a rich source of antioxidant and also has many medicinal and curative properties. It is used to treat heart disease, digestive issues, weight loss, kidney stones, cancer, dry scalp and also used in making soaps and perfumes. The rind and juice are used to extract pectin and ascorbic acid respectively. Different value added products can also be prepared from Kachai Lemon.

Moreover, Kachai Lemon, a type of rough lemon which is the most widely used rootstock in the country, can be utilized as a promising rootstock for lemons, sweet oranges, mandarins and grapefruits because of its high vigour and well adaptation to warm, humid areas with deep sandy soils. It is also tolerant to Citrus Tristeza Virus and Exocortis as well as drought and salt. Therefore, for rootstock purposes it is commercially propagated by seeds.

It is also reported that that it can be propagated by air layering but the rate of multiplication is slow. As a result vegetative propagation methods like budding and grafting need to be standardized in order to use as rootstock purpose with available scion like Tamenglong orange which is also has the Geographical Indication (GI) tag or grafting on the same scion with Kachai Lemon so that it might reduce its juvenile period like the seedling origin.

Constraints of Kachai lemon cultivation in Manipur

1. Most of the present Kachai lemon orchards are seedling origin as a result it has long juvenile period
2. Vegetative propagation methods like budding, grafting and layering is not standardized
3. Marketing problems during its peak harvest season and glut in the market
4. Lack of quality planting materials
5. Lack of knowledge about the different process products from it
6. Poor shelf life under ambient room temperature
7. Poor network for marketing facilities from remote areas to the main market
8. Lack of infrastructure for storage

Kachai Lemon Festival held at Kachai , Ukhrul :: 20 January 2017 :: Pix - Sunzu Bachaspatimayum

Future prospect of Kachai Lemon in Manipur

1. Good demand in the market within the State and outside due its Geographical indication tag
2. It can be used as rootstock for Tamenglong orange since it is a strain of rough lemon which is tolerant to tristiza virus
3. It can increase the income generation to the Kachai lemon growers
4. Promotion of value added products may be initiated

Importance of Geographical Indication (GI) tag

Geographical indication (GI) means a name, mark or symbol or indication for agricultural, natural or manufactured goods which has a reputation in the market quality or other characteristics because it is produced in a particular geographical region. Besides, it indicates to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product.

Geographical indication is a community right for traditional goods. An association of individuals or producers or any organization or authority established under the existing law can apply for registration of geographical indication. The registration of a geographical indication gives exclusive right to the use of the geographical indication of the goods for which it is registered.

Advantages of geographical indication (GI) tag for Kachai Lemon

A. Enhances economic growth : The protection of geographical indications leads to the overall economic prosperity of the manufacturers and producers. Furthermore, the marketing and promotion of the products with the GI tags enhance the secondary economic activities in that specific region, which in turn boosts the regional economic development.

B. Prevent unauthorized use of GI tag: The registered holder of the GI tag has all the legal rights to prevent anyone not belonging to the GI region from using their GI tags. The owners can also initiate legal proceedings against the unauthorized user to save their reputation from being damaged.

C. Expand business: The prime purpose of registering a geographical indication is to seek protection for specific products produced in a particular geographical region, which further encourages and motivates the marketers to expand their business at a global level. Furthermore, the protection of geographical indications boosts exports and helps the producers in earning well for themselves.

D. Increase tourism: The protection of GI tags builds a global reputation for the products. People around the world notice various GI products from different regions and get motivated to visit those regions and use such products. Therefore, it helps in the growth of the tourism industry of that particular region as well.

Conclusion

At present scenario, there is lack of encouraging timely scientific intervention to ensure the quality production thereby increasing the scope for export of this GI tag lemon to other states markets. Thus, if this hidden wealth of novel indigenous citrus species Kachai lemon is explored without further delay, the state like Manipur mainly it native origin Kachai village, Ukhrul district will be able to maintain and conserved this vital citrus fruit species possessing medicinal value and rich in nutritive values.

The added advantage includes opening up of avenues for the growth of the tourism industry of that particular region apart from encouraging eco-tourism in Manipur.Insituconservation of the plants with technical knowhow required to be promoted for future exploration.

For further details contact:-
Public Relation & Media Management Cell,
CAU, Imphal.
Email: [email protected]