Forum promotes consumption of Bac Giang lychees

The northern province of Bac Giang, one of the two lychee farming hubs of Vietnam, held a forum on boosting the cultivation and consumption of lychees and other local agricultural products on May 29.

Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue and other delegates visit pavilions showcasing local agricultural products at the forum. (Photo: moitruong24h.vn)
Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue and other delegates visit pavilions showcasing local agricultural products at the forum. (Photo: moitruong24h.vn)

Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue said that “The organisation of the forum will contribute significantly to promoting the production and consumption of lychees. This is a practical initiative of the province that should be encouraged.”

Bac Giang is known as the largest fruit farming region in North Vietnam with almost 50,000 hectares of farm land with over 28,000 of those dedicated to lychees, which is the largest lychee farming area in Vietnam, with an estimated annual output of 150,000 tonnes.

2019 is also the first year Bac Giang’s Luc Ngan district has cultivated 20 hectares of organic lychees. These Bac Giang lychees have protected status in eight foreign countries.

Vice Chairman of Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee Duong Van Thai has stated this year’s crop has seen the average value of the lychees double from 2018 prices, ranging from VND30,000 – VND50,000 per kg.

He claimed that the province will maintain its already established markets in addition to increasing exports to the markets of Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Canada, Singapore and Middle East.

Some lychees that have matured early have been harvested from May 25, however the main havest comes around from June 5 – July 5.

China remains the largest importer of Vietnamese lychees importing approximately 51,000 tonnes of fresh lychees and 19,000 tonnes of dried lychees worth over US$30 million in 2018.

At the forum, delegates witnessed the shipment of Luc Ngan lychees to distribution channels of Central Group Vietnam. The group pledged to consume 350 tonnes of lychees on its channels across the country.

Central Group also committed to buy six containers of local lychees to sell at Big C supermarket and Lan Chi supermarket chains across Vietnam while maintaining the selling of the fruit in Thailand.