Traders are flocking to Phuong Nam, Uong Bi City in Quang Ninh these days to purchase early-ripening lychees and bring them to the market. The lychee variety grown here is considered one of the best in terms of quality, with large fruits, thin skins, juicy flesh, and a delightful aroma. More importantly, this variety ripens much earlier (10 to 20 days earlier) compared to other lychee types.
The lychee area currently spans over 400 hectares, with an estimated yield of 1,800 tons for this year’s crop. The harvest season will last from mid-May until June 6, marking the beginning of the lychee harvest in other regions. Mr. Vu Van Van, a lychee farmer in Bach Dang 2, shared, “The farm-gate price is currently 35,000 VND/kg, and at the start of the season, we could sell large, beautiful fruits for 40,000-50,000 VND/kg. Traders come directly to our gardens to buy, and we don’t have to worry about finding buyers.”
Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, a trader with 20 years of experience in purchasing lychees from Phuong Nam, added, “In previous years, we would buy 100 to 150 tons of lychees from here, but this year’s yield is only half of that due to a poor harvest. The main consumption market is in the South. The peak purchasing period only lasts about 10 days before the lychee season here comes to an end.”
Recently, the Quang Ninh Trade Promotion and Development Center announced that they will organize a livestream event to sell early-ripening lychees from Phuong Nam on their fanpage from May 23 to 26. This innovative approach is seen as a practical way to promote this high-quality local agricultural product. Currently, the early-ripening lychee area in Phuong Nam is in the process of standardizing its planting data according to OTAS standards to meet the criteria for exporting lychees to European countries.
Similarly, according to information from the Bac Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, due to a unique microclimate, lychees in Tan Yen ripen earlier every year, with the harvest starting in mid-May, while other areas like Luc Ngan don’t reach their peak until June. Mr. Nguyen Van Thiet, Director of the Phuc Hoa Cooperative for Production and Consumption of Early Ripening Lychees in Tan Yen, Bac Giang, said that in about five days, the cooperative will officially start harvesting early-ripening lychees, with an expected yield of 450 tons.
“This year, early-ripening lychees in Tan Yen are being purchased at a price of 35,000-40,000 VND/kg. Meanwhile, the cooperative’s lychees, which are larger and more attractive, are expected to be sold at 50,000 VND/kg,” Mr. Thiet shared. It is anticipated that the early-ripening lychee harvest will last for about a month, from now until mid-June. This year, Tan Yen has over 1,300 hectares of lychee trees, with more than 700 hectares in Phuc Hoa alone. The estimated yield for the entire district is around 10,000 tons.
To ensure efficient marketing, gardens, production groups, and cooperatives have proactively connected and sought outlets for their lychee crops. The district is also planning to host a conference on May 23, 2024, in Phuc Hoa to facilitate connections and promote the consumption of early-ripening lychees from Tan Yen. The event will include the participation of enterprises distributing and consuming lychees in the domestic and international markets, representatives of e-commerce platforms managing export lychee growing area codes, and packaging facilities for lychees in the region.
Meanwhile, in about ten days, the early-ripening lychee gardens in Luc Ngan, Bac Giang, are also expected to be ready for harvest. Seizing this opportunity, many tourism cooperatives in the area have developed tours and linked up with travel companies to prepare to welcome visitors for lychee-themed experiences.
According to a representative of the An Phu Trade and Tourism Cooperative in Tan Son, Luc Ngan, on May 26, a group of nearly 40 French tourists will visit the cooperative to learn about the production process of lychees, black grapes, and Chu noodles, followed by a trip to Cam Son Lake. In preparation for hosting the visitors, the cooperative has proactively contacted households with early-ripening lychee gardens in Nam Duong to tidy up their gardens and ensure they are ready to welcome guests.
Luc Ngan district currently boasts 11 tourism cooperatives, 12 accommodation facilities, 9 restaurants, and 10 cafes and teahouses equipped to serve tourists. Despite this year’s significant decrease in the main crop yield, many gardens still meet the requirements to serve tourists. The local authorities have designated specific areas for the development of eco-tourism linked to fruit gardens, carefully selecting attractive and convenient destinations for visitors.
The district’s functional agencies will establish teams of tour guides and interpreters knowledgeable about the region’s history, people, and lychee production processes to introduce to tourists. Additionally, they will enhance information dissemination about summer tourism in Luc Ngan and guide cooperatives in organizing tours and experiences in lychee gardens, combined with visits to Cam Son Lake, Khuon Than Lake, Am Vai Pagoda, Chu Noodle Village, streams and mountains in the highlands, and local cultural experiences.
In the Southern market, lychee farmers in Dak Lak have an advantage due to the early ripening of their lychees, approximately one month ahead of lychees from the Northern provinces. This results in a smoother marketing process, with prices ranging from 45,000 to 65,000 VND/kg. While most lychee gardens in Dak Lak experienced a poor harvest this year, with yields decreasing by 30-50% compared to the previous year due to prolonged drought conditions, the higher purchase prices set by traders, almost double that of the 2022-2023 crop, have ensured good incomes for lychee growers.
Dak Lak province currently has approximately 3,075 hectares of lychee trees, of which 1,687 hectares are in the fruiting stage, with an average yield of about 17,357 tons. The domestic market for lychees from Dak Lak is mainly in the Southern provinces and cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Dong Nai, and Binh Duong. Lychees from Dak Lak have also been exported to some markets, including Japan and China, although the export volume is still relatively small.
In Thanh Ha district, Hai Duong province, the early-ripening lychee season is expected to start on May 25, with some traders forecasting prices to be nearly double those of last year. Meanwhile, in Hanoi, early-ripening lychees are being sold by small traders at prices ranging from 40,000 to 70,000 VND/kg, depending on the type.
