Realizing unreasonable things happened to lychee trees, in 2007, Thanh Ha district authorities began to mobilize people to change production methods to improve the quality of lychees and diversify markets.
The district has gradually planned lychee production areas to meet VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, and granted planting area codes and packing facility codes to meet the standards of markets.
“The professional agency then closely monitored the production process, instructing people to take care of the fabric according to the correct technique,” said Ms. Hoang Thi Thuy Ha – Vice Chairman of Thanh Ha District People’s Committee. In addition, the district also cooperates with the province to promote the brand of lychee, invite businesses to cooperate in production and product consumption.
Having had to cut down his lychee garden with a knife, Mr. Nguyen Duc Nhan, leader of the lychee production team (Thanh Thuy) – then went directly to each family to advocate for the conversion of production methods.
He admitted that following many years of growing and caring for lychee in the traditional way, it is very difficult to mobilize to change. Especially the type of farming, you have to keep a diary. Everyone is afraid of failure. “In this group, I was the first. Seeing that the productivity and quality are better than before, the fabric is purchased at a high price by the companies, the households agree to follow,” he said.
Pointing to the signboard that says “VietGAP lychee products” marking the area of production group No. 9 with an area of more than 11 hectares in Thanh Thuy commune, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lua said that, in 2008, she planted VietGAP litchi, then made according to export standards to the US and Japan.
“When my fabrics are purchased for export to the US and Japan, I am extremely proud. I have been able to make quality lychees and enter difficult markets,” she said. Now, the fabric production area of Group 9 is also provided with a QR code for buyers to trace the origin. According to her, this transparent approach helps lychee meet the standards of export markets and be sold on e-commerce platforms. The lychee fruit output is therefore more stable.
Mr. Vu Viet Anh, Chairman of Thanh Ha District People’s Committee (former Deputy Director of Hai Duong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development), said that 2015 was a milestone for the successful transformation of lychee. The production of litchi increased, the quality of the fruit improved and was also exported to the US market.
Up to now, Thanh Ha lychee has been famous worldwide. In addition to the traditional export market of China, lychees enter markets with extremely strict standards such as the US, Japan, EU, Singapore, Australia, etc. Especially, when going to Japan, litchi fruit The specialty is also causing a fever, constantly “sold out” despite the extremely expensive price.
“Compared to 2021, the output of lychee exports in 2022 will increase by regarding 65%. This fruit is sold at large supermarket chains in fastidious markets, with high prices and is popular with consumers,” he said.
In the country, Thanh Ha lychee is consumed mainly at trade centers, supermarkets, wholesale markets for agricultural products, e-commerce floors, regional fairs and some big cities…
According to the report of Thanh Ha district, in 2022, the whole district has over 3,273 hectares of lychee cultivation, the output is estimated at 44,000 tons, the total value is estimated at over 1,360 billion VND, an increase of regarding 200 billion VND compared to 2021.
Mr. Viet Anh said that in the 2022 lychee crop, this fruit is luxuriously canned and sold for 200,000 VND/kg. The district is aiming to produce high-quality lychees to enter the high-end segment in the domestic market. When meeting the market segments, opportunities will open for Thanh Ha lychee fruit, people’s income will be higher.
“The most interesting thing is that the production mindset of Thanh Ha litchi growers has changed. They are linked with lychee growers according to orders, so the output and lychee prices are stable. As of now, lychee has not been released yet. Hoa has orders from export businesses, trading floors, supermarkets … “, he shared.