Farmers classify lychees on Kim Street in Phượng Sơn Commune, Lục Ngạn District, Bắc Giang Province. — VNS Photo

BẮC GIANG — Lychee farmers and Bắc Giang local authorities are working to boost the value of lychees by improving care and promoting consumption to compensate for crop loss.

Lychee output is expected to be significantly reduced in 2024 due to adverse weather conditions, with one district reporting a main crop yields nearly 70 per cent lower than in 2023.

The Bắc Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reports that the province has 29,700 hectares of lychees in 2024, yielding over 100,000 tonnes, or about 50 per cent of 2023's yield. This includes 7,700 hectares of early ripe lychees, 22,000 hectares of main crop lychees, and 15,600 hectares of VietGAP standard lychees, each yielding about 50,000 tonnes. Additionally, 82 hectares of lychees will be produced to GlobalGAP standards, yielding approximately 500 tonnes.

In 2024, Lục Ngạn District maintains more than 17,000 hectares for lychee growing. Due to bad weather, its output is expected to be about 50,000 tonnes, of which its main crop lychee output is predicted to decrease by nearly 70 per cent compared to last year.

Lê Bá Thành, Deputy Director of the Bắc Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the department will work with local districts and cities to assist farmers with pest control and care to maintain lychee quality for both domestic and export markets.

Ngô Văn Tiệp, Chairman of the Phúc Hòa Commune People’s Committee, reported that since the start of the season on May 16, traders and businesses have consumed about 1,000 tonnes of early lychees, with approximately 70 per cent exported. This includes 650 tonnes sent to China and seven tonnes to Australia. China remains a large market for Vietnamese lychees.

Bắc Giang plans to export about 70,000 tonnes of lychees out of a total output of 100,000 tonnes in 2024. The province continues to export fresh lychees and processed lychee products.

To ensure export quality, the province is meticulously managing 223 planting area codes covering over 17,000 hectares, with an estimated output of 34,000 tonnes. This includes 130 codes for the Chinese market, spanning over 16,200 hectares and yielding about 30,000 tonnes. The remaining 4,000 tonnes are destined for high-demand markets such as the US, Japan, Australia, the EU and South Korea, with specific codes allocated for each.

Since the beginning of the season, the Bắc Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has organised 10 working sessions with businesses to survey production areas and to prepare for processing, packaging and preservation for export to the US, Canada, Australia, the EU, Japan and Thailand.

Five companies have signed contracts with farmers, including Ameii, Vifoco, Toàn Cầu, Rồng Đỏ and Mova. The department is supporting the 528 Logistics Group Joint Stock Company in its preparations to start exporting lychees to the US.

A farmer harvests lychees in Lục Ngạn district, Bắc Giang province. — VNA/VNS Photo

Bắc Giang Province is also actively promoting lychee consumption. In mid-May 2024, the provincial People’s Committee organised an online trade conference with the Department of Commerce of Yunnan province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China to boost lychee consumption for 2024.

At the end oò June, the province will hold a conference to connect supply and demand for lychees and other key provincial products on e-commerce and digital platforms. Tân Yên and Lục Ngạn districts will host conferences to promote lychee consumption and tourism.

Trần Quang Tấn, Director of the Bắc Giang Department of Industry and Trade, said that all provincial sectors and localities are fully prepared to support lychee farmers and traders in harvesting, selling and exporting lychees, both domestically and internationally.

The provincial Department of Industry and Trade will work closely with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to continue promoting Bắc Giang lychees in international markets. They will negotiate to open new export markets and support the connection of domestic and foreign enterprises in the consumption of lychees. — VNS