Bac Giang ready for consumption of lychee in 2020 season

The lychee cultivation hub of Bac Giang Province is about to enter harvest season for local lychee, including early maturing lychee and lychee of the main crop. The export of the fruit may face difficulties due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic but the province has prepared plans to boost consumption of the fruit.

Early maturing lychee harvested in Phuc Hoa commune, Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province. (Photo: baobacgiang.com.vn)
Early maturing lychee harvested in Phuc Hoa commune, Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province. (Photo: baobacgiang.com.vn)

The northern province of Bac Giang has over 28,000ha of lychee with an estimated volume of over 160,000 tonnes, up 10,000 tonnes compared to 2019.

This season is expected to see a harvest of 45,000 tonnes of early maturing lychee and 115,000 tonnes of lychee from the main crop.

The harvest time for early maturing lychee is scheduled from May 10 to June 10 and the main crop is scheduled for harvest from June 10.

The Department of Industry and Trade of Bac Giang Province said that large distribution groups such as Aoen, Central Group, Mega Market and Big C have worked with local lychee traders in Bac Giang in preparation for the signing of purchasing contracts.

These groups will export Bac Giang lychee to the markets of Thailand, Singapore, the US and the EU.

In addition, 28 other distribution companies, 6 wholesale markets, and 31 enterprises and cooperatives both in and outside the province have registered to consume this season’s lychee.

The Bac Giang Province’s Department of Industry and Trade and Department of Information and Communications have jointly built plans to hold an online promotion conference on a national scale and at two locations in China to boost the consumption of the local lychee.

By May 18, 250 Chinese traders registered to come Luc Ngan District to buy lychee.

The management board of the Lao Cai economic zone has also devised a plan to set aside a special lane for vehicles transporting Bac Giang lychee through Kim Thanh Border Gate No.2 for export to China.

In particular, Bac Giang authorities have coordinated with the Plant Protection Department to complete procedures to export the first batch of fresh lychee to Japan in this season.