Vietnam's lychees are recording strong export growth, step-by-step expanding markets into the US and Europe.

According to data from the General Department of Customs, during the first 5 months of the year, Vietnam's lychee exports exceeded 16 million USD, up 43% compared to the same period last year. Within this, China continues to be the largest market, reaching over 8 million USD, up 29.5% and accounting for more than half of the turnover.

However, the market structure is undergoing changes as many high-value countries sharply increase their import volume of Vietnamese lychees. The US recorded an increase of nearly 125%, while European countries such as France, the Netherlands, and the UK also achieved significant growth rates.

The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VINAFRUIT) explained that the powerful growth of lychee exports to various countries is due to multiple factors. Alongside tariff advantages from the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), many growing zones have achieved GlobalGAP standards, thereby satisfying the requirements regarding quality and traceability of demanding markets.

Exported lychee batches currently are all granted growing area codes and packing facility codes, guaranteeing information transparency under the requirements of importing countries. Enterprises also invest heavily in post-harvest preservation technology, cold storage systems, and logistics chains to help guarantee fruit quality during the transportation process.

In addition, enterprises also invest heavily in post-harvest preservation technology and logistics. Specifically, lychees are applied with fumigation systems and deep-chilling treatments that help thoroughly eradicate fruit borer varieties without leaving chemical residues. Afterwards, the lychees are packed, put into cold storage, and transported by air to guarantee original freshness when hitting the shelves at supermarkets in France, Germany, or the Netherlands.

Furthermore, during the May-June period, China's lychee supply is restricted, so Vietnam possesses an advantage. Alongside fresh lychees, enterprises are investing heavily in individually quick-frozen (IQF) technology lines, dried lychees, juices, and canned lychees. The sharp rise in Vietnamese lychees exported into the US and EU, apart from the economic factor, also generates immense added value regarding reputation and brand name. Thereby opening up good opportunities for other markets in the subsequent years.

Thanks to favorable exports, lychee prices this year are relatively high. In early June, early-season lychees in Bac Ninh were sold by many farmers for 60,000 - 70,000 VND/kg. According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the locality possesses 243 growing area codes and 42 packing facilities for lychees exported to China, the US, Japan, Australia, Thailand, and the EU. Functional authorities enhance the supervision of plant protection drug utilization and control harmful organisms, guaranteeing food safety and traceability requirements.

Source: Tap chi Doanh nghiep va Tiep thi