Guwahati, Aug. 7 -- The Pangsau Pass border haat, a bustling marketplace at the Indo-Myanmar frontier, is becoming a major showcase for one of Assam's most prized fruits: the GI-tagged Tezpur litchi. This monthly market, located near Nampong, Arunachal Pradesh, is seeing a significant shift in consumer preference, with buyers increasingly choosing Assam's local produce over litchis from Myanmar and Bhutan.

Traders and customers alike are praising the quality of the Assamese litchi. "People now ask directly for Assamese litchi. It's sweeter and fresher," says Thapa Singh, a regular vendor. Another buyer, Lamu Bhutia, notes that while litchis from neighboring countries are good, the ones from Assam are "richer in taste."

These litchis, kn...