Bac Ninh promotes lychee exports to the Japanese market

On the morning of March 13, Mr Pham Quang Thinh, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, chaired a meeting with relevant agencies, units, businesses, and distribution channels to discuss promoting lychee exports to the Japanese market in 2026. The meeting was attended by representatives from several provincial departments, sectors, and related enterprises.

According to the Bac Ninh Department of Agriculture and Environment, in 2026, the province has about 29,800 ha of lychee, including 8,200 ha of early-season lychee and 21,600 ha of main-season lychee. The area cultivated under VietGAP standards reaches 17,500 ha, with an estimated production of around 125,000 tons/year. Meanwhile, lychee grown under GlobalGAP standards covers 255 ha, producing approximately 2,500 tons annually.

As of March 12, 2026, early-ripening lychee is entering the flowering and young fruit-setting stage, with the flowering rate reaching about 60%. Main-season lychee is currently in the flowering stage, with a flowering rate of around 50%. The total output is estimated at about 100,000 tons (equal to 50% of the 2025 level). The harvest period for the 2026 lychee crop is expected to run from May 20 to July 20.

At the meeting, representatives from enterprises, agricultural experts, and Japanese partners proposed that Bac Ninh Province continue to accompany and support businesses in the export process. Companies also suggested several solutions related to ensuring product quality, including handling stem-end pests and preventing fungal growth on lychee fruit using biological solutions.

In addition, businesses recommended that the province support connections between enterprises and cooperatives to facilitate technology transfer, provide technical training for production, harvesting, preliminary processing, and packaging, and strengthen monitoring of production processes to meet export standards.

Acknowledging the feedback and proposals from businesses and experts, Mr Pham Van Thinh emphasized:

“Ensuring stable market outlets for lychee products has always been a matter of special concern for the province. Bac Ninh lychee has been granted geographical indication protection, featuring fragrant flavor and high quality, and is being oriented toward clean and natural agricultural production. Vietnam, in general, and Bac Ninh in particular, always considers Japan an important and prioritised partner in international trade cooperation and socio-economic development.”

Regarding the research topic on fungal treatment for lychee fruit, Mr Thinh agreed to immediately implement a pilot project. The Provincial Department of Science and Technology was assigned to lead efforts to coordinate support for businesses, establish a scientific council, guide implementation procedures, and study the feasibility of applying the solution to other crops such as guava, oranges, and lychee.

Mr Pham Van Thinh also tasked the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment with reviewing and compiling the list of lychee orchards registered with planting area codes for export, and organizing meetings with businesses and Japanese partners to guide farmers on cultivation practices that meet enterprise requirements. Through this process, the province aims to sign stable product consumption contracts and gradually build a sustainable value chain linking enterprises with lychee producers across the province