Bac Giang lychees go global

Bac Giang lychees go global

Luc Ngan District in Bac Giang province, Vietnam's lychee capital, will be exporting its fruit to 30 countries, including discerning markets such as Japan and the United States, in addition to China, according to Truong Van Nam, Vice Chair of the Luc Ngan District People’s Committee.

Promising local market

Truong Van Nam said many corporations, like the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group, along with trade unions and women’s unions have signed contracts to buy lychees from the district. “With 100 million people, each person only needs to buy one kilogram to basically solve the lychee consumption issue,” according to Nam’s analysis.

Fresh lychees and other Bac Giang products were introduced and displayed at a recent forum themed “Vietnamese lychees go global”. After visiting and tasting the fruit, representatives of foreign embassies in Vietnam praised the local specialty and recommended solutions for lychee exports to Europe and the Middle East.

Bac Giang Province actively promotes lychee sales

“I already know the lychee fruit, but I didn't think Bac Giang lychee is so delicious. One day I will go to Bac Giang with my friends to visit the lychee growing areas,” said Hamid Mosadeghi from the Iranian Embassy in Hanoi after tasting the produce.

Adherence to strict standards

Chu Xuan Ba, a household growing lychees according to VietGAP standards in Luc Ngan District’s Giap Son Commune, said this year’s lychee quality is better than in previous years thanks to favorable weather conditions and better cultivation techniques by local growers, giving the fruit a better look and ensuring its safety.

Domestic sales account for about 60 percent of lychee consumption. The remaining 40 percent are exported mainly to Japan, the US, the European Union (EU), Republic of Korea (RoK), China, and Cambodia. Currently, Bac Giang lychee enjoys protection in eight countries including China, the US, Japan, Australia, RoK, Singapore, Laos and Cambodia. The geographical indication (GI) of Luc Ngan lychee is the first Vietnamese GI officially protected in the Japanese market, reflecting its high quality.

Bac Giang lychees look and taste better this season than in previous years

“To achieve this, Bac Giang Province always works with lychee growers in consensus and unity in building a value chain from production to consumption,” said Vice Chair of the Bac Giang Provincial People’s Committee Phan The Tuan.

Luc Ngan District People’s Committee Chair La Van Nam said that the district oversees agricultural businesses strictly, ensuring that good input material is supplied to farmers. Regarding export, the district has 35 growing area codes approved by China on an area of ​​11,423 hectares and 237 packing facilities; 30 other codes are also accepted by Japan on an area of ​​224.5 ha and one packing facility. As for lychee products exported to the Chinese market, Chinese letters must be clearly written on the packaging inluding the fruit names, the place of production, packaging, the names of the gardeners or registration numbers granted by China.

VietNam Economic News