(VOVworld)- Vietnam’s major lychee cultivation areas in Bac Giang, Hai Duong and Hung Yen produce an estimated 180,000 tons of lychees each year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and local administrations are working to provide maximum assistance to lychee exporters.

Lychee harvest in Bac Giang

Hoang Trung, Head of the Plant Protection Department, said his department has closely collaborated with the Ministry of Science and Technology to provide irradiators to export businesses in the northern region. Irradiation improves fruit quality and shelf life. Facilities to supply irradiation have been completed. Mr. Trung said: “According to initial estimates, conducting irradiation treatment in the north instead of transporting fruit to Ho Chi Minh City will reduce cots by 15 to 16 million VND per ton. So, this will boost competitiveness and encourage more companies to export lychees to new markets. We have worked with the Chinese quarantine agencies to expedite our lychee exports. If necessary, we will send additional personnel to border gates to make sure all shipments go through the quarantine process smoothly. In Bac Giang and Hung Yen province, quarantine personnel are available to meet exporters’ needs”.

Mr. Trung said the US, Australian, Japanese and Korean markets are fond of Vietnamese lychees. The Plant Protection Department is negotiating wit other foreign quarantine agencies to introduce Vietnamese specialty fruit in their countries.