Hai Duong litchi whets American appetites

Conquering foreign markets

In order to build a safe brand name, since 2012 Hai Duong has grown its famous Thieu litchi according to VietGAP standards. 

In a bid to export to the US market, last year the province successfully produced 19 hectares of Thieu litchi under both the VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards. 

The fruits were sold in supermarkets in California for US$17-19 per kilogramme. They were also exported to other markets, including Australia, the UK, and France, where the fruit was praised by customers for meeting the strictest food safety and hygiene requirements.

“This year, Hai Duong will implement another ten litchi plantation models on 100 hectares in Thanh Ha district. The trees have been granted a code by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department for Plant Protection in order for the litchi to be exported,” said Nguyen Anh Cuong, Vice Chairman of Hai Duong’s People’s Committee.

This year, the province has five times more export-oriented litchi plantations than last year. The export markets have stringent requirements on food safety and hygiene, which can differ from market to market. For example, the US is concerned about epidemics and pesticides, while European markets are worried about pesticide sediments in the products.

“Hai Duong must put together all of the requirements from all target markets, meaning that it has to select a special type of pesticide so that the product meets all markets’ requirements,” said Cuong. “It will be very difficult at the beginning, but in the long term, it will help farmers shift to clean production and improve the quality and the value of the product.”

Improving litchi quality

In order to ensure that foreign partners’ strict requirements are met, the Hai Duong and Thanh Ha authorities are supporting farmers by helping to improve their production process. In addition to reducing the use of chemical substances for production, harvesting activities have also been improved.

“Last year, companies purchased products and then classified them. However, this year, companies are classifying the products on site, in order to reduce external impacts on the litchi. This makes the fruit fresher and more delicious,” said Thanh Ha’s Party Secretary Nguyen Duc Tuan.

To increase the consumption of litchi, the authorities are also boosting commercial promotion programmes, such as workshops and discussions with farmers. In order for their litchi to be exported to the US, farmers take good care of the trees from the very beginning.

“Farmers have to follow advice from experts when they want to use fertilizers or pesticides,” Tuan said.

The exported litchi must be free from pestilent insects and soil, and must be isolated from products produced in areas that have yet to be granted a code.

After being harvested and classified, the litchi are transported to Ho Chi Minh City by refrigerated trucks, and then irradiated. Currently, Vietnam only has two irradiation centres, which are both in Ho Chi Minh City. 

The Ministry of Science and Technology is upgrading another irradiation centre in Hanoi so that litchi can be quarantined and irradiated more quickly, helping to save time and costs before shipping.

In order for the Hai Duong litchi to be exported to such demanding markets, farmers are partially funded to meet the VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards. 

In addition, in 2016, farmers who participate in programmes to produce litchi for exportation to the US, Australia, and EU are supported with 50% of the cost of pesticides, as well as 30% of the cost to buy bags to wrap the litchi before the harvest.

Farmers are also provided with training courses on the VietGAP standard and on preventing pestilent insects for litchi exported to the EU, Australia, and the US. The courses have helped improve farmers’ awareness of production under the VietGAP standards, contributing to a rise in output and productivity.

Expansion of production programmes

To prepare for the farming of another hundred hectares of export-oriented litchi, Hai Duong People’s Committee has earmarked more than VND1.2 billion (US$54,545) to support farmers. 

“The expansion of the plantations is aimed at creating a large, stable production base and to ensure product quality, thus laying the foundation for further expansion. This will also improve the lives of farmers in the years to come,” Cuong said.

According to the committee, the province will continue building up the links between farmers and enterprises in production and consumption.

“Low-cost preservation technology and transport by sea will be used for exporting litchi,” said Cuong.

It will certainly be difficult to expand the litchi markets overseas, especially to demanding markets like the US, the EU, Australia, and Japan. However, with the robust determination of local authorities and farmers’ hard work, the Hai Duong litchi will likely fly far and wide around the globe.