Bringing Thanh Ha lychees into modern supermarket chains

GO supermarket in Hai Phong, the city's Department of Agriculture and Environment joined forces with the GO Vietnam supermarket chain, Thanh Ha Safe Vegetables and Fruits Company Limited, and the People's Committees of Thanh Ha, Ha Dong, Ha Bac, and Ha Nam communes to host an event titled "Display, Introduction, and Trade Promotion of Thanh Ha Lychees Across the GO Vietnam Supermarket System in 2026."

Thanh Ha lychees have long been celebrated as a prized specialty carrying the distinct cultural identity of the eastern region.

Lychee cultivation in the Thanh Ha area dates back several centuries, with the microclimate of the Red River Delta providing ideal conditions, warm temperatures, well-drained alluvial soil, and distinct dry winters that encourage flowering. The variety is distinguished from other Vietnamese lychees by its thinner skin, smaller seed, sweeter flesh, and notably longer shelf life, characteristics that have historically made it attractive to both domestic consumers and overseas buyers. Vietnam is among the world's top lychee producers, and the Thanh Ha variety consistently commands a price premium on both domestic and export markets.

The variety holds a geographical indication certification, ranks among the top ten nationally recognized brands and reputable products, and has been designated a "Quintessential Specialty of the Three Regions." In 2015, the original lychee tree in Thuy Lam village, Thanh Son commune in the former Thanh Ha district, was officially recognized by the Vietnam Record Organization as the country's oldest lychee tree. Thanh Ha lychees are today regarded as among the finest in Vietnam.

According to the Hai Phong Department of Agriculture and Environment, the city's total lychee cultivation area in 2026 stands at approximately 9,350 hectares, concentrated across communes and wards including Ha Dong, Thanh Ha, Ha Nam, Ha Bac, Ha Tay, Lac Phuong, Tu Ky, Ninh Giang, Nam Thanh Mien, Tran Hung Dao, Tran Nhan Tong, Nguyen Trai, and An Truong, among others. Early-season varieties account for roughly half of that area, with the main-season crop making up the remainder. Total citywide lychee output in 2026 is projected at approximately 55,000 metric tons, comprising around 35,000 tons of early-season fruit and 20,000 tons of main-season fruit.

Hai Phong currently has 57 registered lychee growing zones holding 181 export codes serving markets including China, the United States, Australia, Japan, and Thailand, along with seven packing facilities holding 16 export codes.

To raise product quality and market value, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has, since the start of 2026, been actively working with major distribution and export companies, among them GO Vietnam, AEON Top Value Vietnam, DRAGONBERRY Vietnam, Ameii Vietnam, and Red Dragon Fruit Vietnam, to plan growing zones and build integrated production-to-market linkages.

The city's agricultural sector has also intensified technical guidance on crop care and pest control, promoted cultivation under VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, and tightened oversight of the use of crop-protection chemicals to ensure compliance with export-quality requirements.

The first lychee harvests of the season began reaching the market in early May 2026. The fruit is destined not only for domestic consumption but also for export to demanding markets including the United States, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and the European Union. In 2026, approximately 50 percent of the city's total lychee output is projected for export, with China accounting for around 40 percent of that volume and the remainder bound for other premium markets.

Luong Thi Kiem, Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that the department will continue to work alongside businesses and farmers to develop safe agricultural production, while facilitating the procurement, distribution, and export of Thanh Ha lychees and welcoming enterprises, supermarkets, and commercial centers from across the country to establish distribution partnerships in Hai Phong.

Pham Thi Huyen Trang, representing Thanh Ha Safe Vegetables and Fruits Company Limited, pledged to maintain consistent product quality, stable pricing, and an uninterrupted, food-safe supply chain to meet the demands of both the supermarket network and consumers at home and abroad.

The trade promotion event at GO Vietnam marks a significant step in connecting production to consumption, strengthening the Thanh Ha brand, and broadening the market for Hai Phong agricultural produce, bringing a cherished local specialty closer to consumers both within Vietnam and beyond its borders.