Alongside preparations in infrastructure and manpower for plant quarantine, the groundwork for lychee market readiness has also been completed.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy spoke with Bao Cong Thuong about this issue.

Ready for the 2025 Lychee Season

Besides Bac Giang, many other localities will soon enter the peak lychee harvest. What plans has the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment prepared to ensure market stability and price control?

Minister Đỗ Đức Duy: Lychee harvests are highly seasonal, lasting only 1–2 months, and the product is mainly consumed fresh. To ensure market availability and price stability, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has proactively coordinated with localities to develop a comprehensive plan, especially for peak-season activities such as harvesting, preservation, processing, and distribution.

The Ministry has guided and supported localities in preparing infrastructure for harvesting, transporting, preliminary processing, and especially preserving fresh lychees to avoid bottlenecks during peak times. Additionally, it has prepared full infrastructure and manpower for plant quarantine and food safety inspections for fresh lychees to support exports.

Moreover, the Ministry has coordinated with experts and customs authorities from importing countries to conduct pre-checks and establish “green channels” for lychee exports.

The Ministry is also working with localities to guide businesses and farmers in connecting with both domestic and export markets—prioritizing export markets with strict plant quarantine requirements and boosting domestic consumption through supermarkets, e-commerce platforms, and other distribution channels. Hotline and focal point systems are maintained to promptly provide market information and related updates to help businesses and farmers manage their harvests and product sales.

Another issue the Ministry is paying special attention to is collaborating with localities and businesses to enhance cold storage capacity and cold container logistics. It is also promoting processed lychee products to diversify the product line, thereby easing the pressure during the peak harvest.

On May 11, you worked with Bac Giang’s Provincial People’s Committee on lychee production and consumption and conducted a field survey. What are your initial impressions?

Minister Do Duc Duy: From my survey at a GlobalGAP-standard lychee cultivation area in Phuc Hoa commune, Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province, I was very pleased to see that farmers and businesses, with the support of local authorities, have developed production zones with growing area codes and quality control and food safety measures. Many areas meet export standards for high-demand markets like the U.S., EU, and Japan.

Strong linkage across the value chain helps reduce costs, improve quality, and enhance competitiveness. This is the necessary direction to develop agriculture in a circular, multi-value, and professional manner—targeting both domestic and international markets with increasingly strict requirements.

That said, due to capacity constraints, infrastructure issues, processing and storage limitations, and capital shortages, some linkages are only formed during the harvest season. Thus, we need more effort to build consistent linkages. The tighter the linkage, the lower the risks.

In the short term, compliance costs may be higher. But in the long run, as linkages grow stronger, overall costs will decrease, product value will increase, and all parties in the chain will benefit.

Diversifying Markets to Take Vietnamese Produce Further

Summer is the fruit season. Apart from lychee, many fruits are harvested at once. What directions and strategies does the Ministry have to prevent “rescue campaigns” or price crashes during bumper harvests?

Minister Do Duc Duy: First, we aim to improve forecasting capacity and guide producers to align production with market signals, avoiding supply-demand imbalances, especially during peak seasons.

Second, we direct localities to support enterprises in expanding processing and storage facilities, including temporary cold storage, enabling them to stockpile during the season and export over a longer period—reducing pressure on consumption during harvest peaks.

Third, expanding and diversifying export markets is crucial. Through trade negotiations, removing technical barriers, and trade promotion, we aim to develop new markets like South America, Africa, and the Middle East—besides traditional ones like China, the U.S., the EU, and Japan. This reduces the risks when one market faces disruptions.

Fourth, timely and accurate market information is vital. We must maintain regular updates and actively support stakeholders, especially regarding plant quarantine and food safety checks—critical stages for global export compliance.

What solutions will the Ministry implement to build a sustainable agricultural production and distribution system?

Minister Do Duc Duy: For years, the Ministry has implemented comprehensive solutions: controlling production planning, adjusting seasonal structure, and improving forecasting to align production with demand and market signals.

We also prioritize restructuring toward high-value, quality-focused products—focusing on national key products, regional specialties, and those with competitive advantages in quality or seasonality.

Investment in deep processing and improved storage capabilities is essential to handle surplus during peak seasons when domestic and global markets cannot absorb all the volume.

Diversifying and expanding new markets—especially those with FTAs—allows Vietnamese agricultural products to reach broader international audiences. We continue advising the Government in negotiating FTAs, removing tariffs and technical barriers to improve market access.

The Ministry will always stand with localities, businesses, and producers to form value chains covering production, harvesting, processing, storage, and distribution. This will help reduce costs while ensuring traceability, quality control, and food safety—an imperative for accessing global markets with rising standards.

Thank you!

The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) reports that the 2025 lychee crop is expected to be a bumper season, with an estimated yield of 303,000 tons—up 30% from 2024, thanks to favorable weather and good pest control. The harvest season runs from May 20 to July 25, divided into two phases: early lychee (May 20 – June 10) and main season (June 10 – July 25). Preparations for harvest, processing, and distribution have started early.

Source: Bao Cong Thuong