In Vietnam, Hai Duong and Bac Giang provinces are 2 leading areas for lychee production.
Tran Van Qua, Vice Chairman of Hai Du?ng Province, said his province has over 9,000 hectares of lychees producing 60,000 tonnes per year. About 50% are consumed domestically while 40% are exported to traditional markets and 10% to high-end markets. Its lychee variety called Thanh Haychee, has made a name in international market for its high quality and it has been granted a Protected Geographical Indication Certificate (PGIC) in Vietnam, as one of the Top 10 producers of prestige. The lychees are also grown in accordance with VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards.
The province is now focusing on expanding export-only lychee-growing areas to add more value to the fruit and meet growing export demand.
Meanwhile, Bac Giang province has the largest lychee-growing area of over 28,000 hectares in the country. Its lychees are also the first Vietnamese product to be granted PGIC in Japan and are eligible for trademark protection in 8 countries. It also has 15,400 hectares of VietGAP lychees, equivalent to an annual output of 125,000 tonnes, and 102 hectares of GlobalGAP lychees, equivalent to over 1,000 tonnes.
Vietnamese lychees are gaining popularity in Japan, US and the EU. The country hopes to boost exports to other markets like Canada and Thailand. The main challenge faced by lychee exporters is to ensure the freshness of the fruits while on its destination. Fresh lychees can be preserved up to 40 days the most. The government encourages lychee producers to research and develop lychees that can last longer in terms of freshness.
