Bac Giang lychees continue to conquer Japanese market

On May 27, the first batch of lychees from Bac Giang province arrived in Japan and was consumed strongly. This is the second year that Bac Giang lychees have succeeded in conquering this demanding market, especially at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic remains complex in the two countries.

Japanese consumer buys Bac Giang lychees at supermarkets.

Joy amid pandemic

On May 26, the first 20 tonnes of early-ripening lychees from Tan Yen district left for Japan. Less than a day later, the lychees were available on the shelves of supermarkets and distribution systems in many major cities of Japan such as Osaka and Tokyo. The good news is that despite high prices, up to 1,650 JPY (15 USD) per kg, most of the lychees were sold out right on the first day.

According to experts, one of the important factors helping Bac Giang lychees successfully conquer the Japanese market for the second consecutive season is the drastic engagement of authorities at all levels in Bac Giang province, alongside the directions of the Government, the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Industry and Trade.

Despite dealing with the Covid-19 outbreaks, the authorities of Bac Giang province in general and Tan Yen district in particular have joined hands with the people in caring for and protecting the lychee growing areas. As a result, the first batch of lychees exported to Japan fully met the country's strict standards.

Ta Duc Minh, Vietnamese Counselor in Japan, said that this year, the Vietnam Trade Office in Japan has soon implemented activities promoting the image of Vietnamese lychees in Tokyo and many other locations such as coordinating with importers to disseminate information about online lychee purchasing programmes, while actively calling on Japanese enterprises to invest in modern technology that helps process and preserve fresh lychees more effectively.

Continued efforts to ensure quality

Vietnam started the negotiation process with Japan on allowing fresh lychees to be imported into the country's market in 2014. After a difficult negotiation process lasting more than 5 years, on December 15, 2019, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) sent a letter to the Plant Protection Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informing about the country's official opening of its market for Vietnam’s fresh lychees.

After two consecutive years of successful penetration into the Japanese market, it can be confirmed that the lychees of Bac Giang in particular and Vietnam in general have met strict Japanese regulations on phytosanitary and food safety. As a result, according to Ta Duc Minh, currently, the export and sale of Vietnamese lychees in the Japanese market are favorable, despite the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic.

However, experts still recommended that lychee growers should not be subjective but continue to strictly follow the caring process and phytosanitary regulations to ensure product quality.

Besides, exporting enterprises need to actively strengthen and improve the image and brand of Vietnamese lychees in this world's most demanding market, they said.

Currently, the Vietnam Trade Office in Japan is coordinating with relevant authorities in the home country as well as supermarkets and distribution systems in Japan to promote this work in the near future, with the aim of making the Vietnamese lychees more popular among Japanese people.