Patna High Court - Orders
Dr. Maurya Vijay Chandra, Advocate, vs The State Of Bihar on 30 March, 2026
Author: Harish Kumar
Bench: Harish Kumar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.6109 of 2022
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Dr. Maurya Vijay Chandra, Advocate,
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Respondent/s
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Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : None.
For the State : Mr. Arun Kumar Bhagat AC to AAG-12
For the R. No. 7 : Mr. Alok Kumar CGC
For the AAI : Mr. Sujeet Kumar Sinha, Advocate
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CORAM: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
and
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HARISH KUMAR
ORAL ORDER
(Per: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE)
25 30-03-2026As per the order dated 26.02.2026 a supplementary counter affidavit has been filed by one Chandra Bhushan Singh, Deputy General Manager, APEDA, wherein, it is stated as follows:-
"5. That the answering respondent humbly states that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, has established a Regional Office at Krishi Bhawan, Mithapur, Patna to boost the export of agricultural and processed food products from Bihar, which has commenced operations with effect from 11.09.2025.
6. That the answering respondent humbly states that after the establishment of the Regional Office at Patna, APEDA has organized and participated in more than 35 Capacity Building Programs to identify potential producers and export- oriented agricultural products across the State.
7. That the answering respondent further humbly states that one Pack House at Bihta, Patna, is Patna High Court CWJC No.6109 of 2022(25) dt.30-03-2026 2/8 under process for APEDA approval and other export- related certifications. The Pack House unit has been developed by the Bihar Industrial Development Authority Area (BIADA), Department of Industries, Government of Bihar.
8. That the answering respondent humbly states and submits that the above mentioned Pack House is presently under the process of APEDA approval. The Irradiation Centre associated with this facility is also under approval, as certain non- compliances identified during inspection are yet to be rectified.
9. That the answering respondent further humbly states and submits that a joint audit of the facility was conducted by BARC, APEDA, and NPPO on 28.12.2025. Closure of the identified non- compliances is awaited for further processing and grant of approval.
10. That the answering respondent humbly submits that as per the data from the export declarations filed by exporters, 2235.07 Metric Tons of mangoes valued at Rs. 5.65 Crores, were declared to have been exported from Bihar, during the Financial Year 2024-25.
11. That the answering respondent further humbly submitted that in view of the above, the answering Respondent has taken several steps for improvement and also to boost the export of agricultural and processed food products including mangoes from the State of Bihar."
2. Similarly, respondent no. 3 and 4 have filed the supplementary counter affidavit by one Rakesh Kumar, Joint Director (Horticulture), Administration, Directorate of Horticulture, Bihar, Patna, wherein, it is stated as follows:-
"8. That in this regard, 336 farmers from various districts of the State were deputed for training at the Centre of Excellence for Mango, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, in December 2022, under the Nationa Horticulture Mission. Patna High Court CWJC No.6109 of 2022(25) dt.30-03-2026 3/8
9. That further, an Exposure-cum-Training Programme was organized for 30 farmers from District Vaishali at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra during the period 22.03.2023 to 28.03.2023, wherein training was imparted on:
• Innovative mango production
technologies.
• High-density plantation techniques.
• Post-harvest management and
export-oriented practices.
10. That the participation of farmers in the aforesaid programme is duly evidenced by attendance sheets containing names and signatures of participating farmers.
11. That further, in continuation of such training efforts, 32 farmers were deputed for residential training at the Centre of Excellence, Basti (Uttar Pradesh) for a period of 7 days in January 2026.
12.That it is respectfully submitted that the aforesaid programmes are not mere exposure visits but structured residential training programmes, conducted at nationally recognized institutions, and include practical and technical modules relating to scientific cultivation and post-harvest handling.
13. That the Department has adopted a phased and cluster-based approach, wherein selected farmers are trained at centres of excellence and are expected to disseminate the acquired knowledge at the local level, thereby creating a multiplier effect.
14. That apart from the aforesaid training initiatives, the Department has also facilitated capacity-building programmes in coordination with APEDA, and more than 35 such programmes have been conducted to promote awareness and identification of export-oriented agricultural produce.
15. That with respect to infrastructure development, it is submitted that an Integrated Irradiation-cum-Pack House at Bihta, Patna has been established through BIADA or facilitating export of agricultural produce.
Patna High Court CWJC No.6109 of 2022(25) dt.30-03-2026 4/8
16. That it is submitted that the said Pack House is presently under the process of approval by APEDA and other regulatory authorities, and minor compliances identified during inspection are under rectification, with the approval process being at an advanced stage.
17. That as regards export performance, it is submitted that the State of Bihar has exported approximately 2235.07 met metric tons of mango, valued at approximately Rs. 5.65 crores, during the financial year 2024-25.
18. That it is respectfully submitted that the aforesaid data demonstrates the progressive development of the export ecosystem in the State, facilitated by training, capacity-building and infrastructure initiatives undertaken by the Department."
3. From Annexure-D, which is attached to the supplementary counter affidavit of respondent no. 3 and 4 dated 19.03.2026, we found the list of 32 farmers from six districts i.e. Patna, Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Bhagalpur, who were deputed for residential training at the Centre of Excellence, Basti, Uttar Pradesh, for a period of 7 days in January 2026.
4. Mangoes hold a special place in the fruit world. It is a climacteric fruit and continues to ripe rapidly even after harvest. A farmer carefully harvests hundreds of ripe and flagrant mangoes from his orchard. Within days, many of those beautiful fruits get softened beyond selling, develop dark spots or simply lose its appeal. Understanding how to properly store these delicious fruits is not just about keeping Patna High Court CWJC No.6109 of 2022(25) dt.30-03-2026 5/8 them fresh longer, rather it is about ensuring that farmers get their returns while consumers enjoy quality produce and precious fruit does not go to waste. After harvesting, mangoes are in a constant state of change. The moment a mango leaves the tree, a complex series of biochemical reactions kicks into high gear. The mangoes are vulnerable to fungal diseases, mechanical damage during transport and moisture loss that leaves them shrivelled and unappealing.
5. It is crucial to understand that different varieties of mangoes have different temperature tolerance. The mango farmers do not give required attention and care in using requisite inputs and adopting improved quality practises in their mango orchards, except using some insecticides to protect the mangoes from insects. Most of the farmers lack technical knowledge and training in development of commercial mango orchards. Non-availability of expert technical guidance to the farmers in addressing the production related issues is required to be addressed.
6. It is the duty of the Department of Horticulture to organize a series of training programmes for the farmers in the districts on natural methods of ripening mango. The consumption of mangoes ripened with calcium carbide causes Patna High Court CWJC No.6109 of 2022(25) dt.30-03-2026 6/8 health problems, like cancer, insomnia and loss of appetite. By combining traditional farmer knowledge with modern organized method, the mango farmers can earn more while keeping the farms healthy for a long term.
7. Learned counsel appearing for the respondent no. 7 has furnished a list containing the names of registered mango farmers in the State of Bihar, which are 398 in number. He has furnished another list containing the names of the exporters, which are taken on record.
8. After going through the list of mango farmers in the district of West Champaran, we find that although there are 176 registered mango farmers in the district, only five farmers of that particular district were sent for training in the month of January 2026, as reflected in Annexure-D to the supplementary counter affidavit filed on behalf of respondent no. 3. There is nothing in the affidavit to indicate the nature of the training imparted to such farmers or how the said training has been utilized by those farmers or the authorities concerned for the benefit of other mango farmers who were not sent for training. It is expected that the concerned authorities shall interact with the farmers from different districts of the State of Bihar who have already undergone training in different Patna High Court CWJC No.6109 of 2022(25) dt.30-03-2026 7/8 phases, as reflected in the counter affidavit, obtain their feedback, and in their presence, interact with other mango farmers who have not undergone such training, either physically or virtually. A suitable venue, preferably Anganbadi Centre or any other appropriate place, shall be selected for such training purpose expeditiously and the specified date and time shall be communicated to the Mango farmers well in advance.
Details of the training imparted to the Mango farmers in the State of Bihar shall be placed before this Court by way of a specific affidavit to be filed by the Joint Director, Horticulture, by the next date, with a copy thereof served upon the learned counsel for the petitioner. The State may also take initiative to engage scholars from research institutes across different States to impart professional training on mango cultivation and its protection.
9. Needless to say, the export of Mangoes is a significant driver of financial benefits to a large number of Mango farmers, offering substantial economic returns, fostering rural development, therefore, proper preservation is essential before taking steps for export. This is precisely why adequate training in production and preservation for mango Patna High Court CWJC No.6109 of 2022(25) dt.30-03-2026 8/8 farmers is necessary in this regard.
10. List this matter on 27.04.2026.
(Sangam Kumar Sahoo, CJ) (Harish Kumar, J) ranjan/-
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