Japan grants GI certification to Vietnamese lychee

The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has granted geographical indication (GI) certification to Luc Ngan lychee that originates from Bac Giang, a northern Vietnamese province, according to the Bac Giang Department of Science and Technology.

Luc Ngan lychee represents the first Vietnamese product to be granted geographical indication certification in Japan.

The product had previously successfully protected its trademark in China, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Australia, Laos, and Cambodia. It is currently consumed in several countries globally.

The issuance of geographical indication certification looks set to create favourable conditions in which Luc Ngan lychee can start to make inroads into the Japanese market, along with others worldwide.

At present, Luc Ngan district is home to more than 15,000 hectares of lychee, mostly in Hong Giang, Tan Son, Quy Son, and Giap Son communes. In addition, several lychee growing areas fall in line with Global Good Agricultural Practices (GlobalGAP) and Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) to produce high-quality organic products that meet the various needs of domestic consumption and export.

The year ahead will continue to see Bac Giang direct the production of 19 codes of growing areas that were granted by Japan last year, while also increasing the total cultivation lychee area to the Japanese market to approximately 130 hectares.

Currently, the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is in the process of evaluating and appraising the production procedures in order to grant area codes for lychees in the near future.