Shivraj Singh Chouhan forms expert panel to save Bihar's litchi crop from stink bug
Synopsis
With Bihar's litchi season under threat from a stink bug infestation, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has mobilised a multi-institution expert panel to visit affected districts and deliver remedial recommendations within a week — the first dedicated central-level response to the pest in recent memory.
Key Takeaways
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan constituted a special expert task force on 8 May 2025 to address litchi stink bug damage in Bihar .
The panel was formally ordered by the National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur , whose Director will serve as Chairperson .
The task force will visit affected districts, scientifically assess crop losses, and suggest immediate and long-term remedial measures .
Named scientists include Dr Jaipal Singh Chaudhary , Dr M Sampat Kumar , Dr Ipsita Samal , and Dr Vinod Kumar (Member Secretary).
A full report with recommendations must be submitted to the Agriculture Minister within one week .
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has constituted a special expert task force to assess damage caused to Bihar's litchi crop by the litchi stink bug and submit a report with remedial recommendations within one week, according to an official statement issued on 8 May 2025. The task force was formed in response to concerns raised directly by farmers at a ministerial interaction programme.
How the Panel Came Together
Farmers flagged the severity of the stink bug damage during an interaction programme organised at the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, on Thursday, 7 May. Responding swiftly, Chouhan ordered the formation of the task force, with a formal order issued the same day by the National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur. The Director of the National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the panel.
What the Task Force Will Do
According to the official order, the expert task force will assess the current situation related to the litchi stink bug infestation, visit the most affected blocks in litchi-producing districts of Bihar, and scientifically study crop losses. It will then suggest both immediate and long-term measures to provide relief to farmers. The panel will also recommend necessary advisories and extension activities for farmers, as well as interventions required at both the state and central levels.
Who Is on the Panel
The task force brings together scientists, officials, and specialists from multiple institutions. Members include representatives nominated by the Director of Horticulture-cum-Bihar State Horticulture Mission; the Director of Plant Protection, Bihar Agriculture Department; an entomologist from Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur; and a representative from Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur. A representative from the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture is also included.
Named scientists on the panel include Dr Jaipal Singh Chaudhary from the ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region and the Centre for Agricultural Systems Research for Hill and Plateau Region, Ranchi; Dr M Sampat Kumar from the National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru; Dr Ipsita Samal (Entomology) from the ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur; and Principal Scientist (Entomology) Dr Vinod Kumar, who will serve as the Member Secretary of the task force.
Why This Matters for Bihar's Farmers
Bihar is India's largest producer of litchi, with Muzaffarpur at the heart of the crop's geography and cultural identity. The litchi stink bug (Tessaratoma javanica) is a known pest capable of causing widespread fruit drop and sap loss, potentially devastating an entire season's yield. This is the first time a dedicated central-level expert panel has been constituted specifically to address the stink bug threat, signalling the scale of the concern among farming communities. Notably, the intervention comes ahead of the peak litchi harvest season, making timely recommendations critical.
What Happens Next
The task force is expected to visit the most affected blocks in Bihar's litchi-producing districts shortly and submit its report to Agriculture Minister Chouhan within one week. The report will inform what immediate relief and longer-term pest management support the Centre and the state government will extend to affected farmers.
Point of View
But the real question is whether a one-week report translates into on-ground relief before the harvest window closes. Bihar's litchi belt has long flagged pest vulnerability without sustained institutional follow-through. The composition of the panel, drawing from ICAR, state agricultural universities, and the National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, is credible; what will matter is whether recommendations trigger actual procurement of pest control inputs at the block level, not just advisories. India's horticulture support infrastructure at the last mile remains thin, and this episode underscores the gap between central expertise and farm-level access.
NationPress
9 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has a task force been formed for Bihar's litchi crop?
The task force was formed after farmers reported extensive damage to litchi crops caused by the litchi stink bug at an interaction with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on 7 May 2025. The panel will assess losses and recommend both immediate and long-term relief measures.
Who is heading the litchi crop expert task force?
The Director of the National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the task force. Principal Scientist (Entomology) Dr Vinod Kumar will serve as Member Secretary.
When will the task force submit its report?
The task force is required to submit its report with recommendations to Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan within one week of its constitution, so that timely action can be taken.
Which institutions are represented on the task force?
The panel includes representatives from the Bihar State Horticulture Mission, Bihar Agriculture Department, Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Bihar Agricultural University, ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, the National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, and the ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi.
What will the task force recommend?
The task force will suggest immediate and long-term pest management measures, necessary advisories for farmers, extension activities, and interventions required at both the state and central government levels to address the litchi stink bug threat.
