Bac Giang actively prepares conditions for exporting lychees to Japan

On December 15, 2019, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries officially opened the door for Vietnamese lychees to be exported directly to Japan. The information is a joy for lychee growers in Bac Giang, which boasts the largest concentrated lychee production area in the country. Reporters of Bac Giang Newspaper had an interview with Duong Thanh Tung, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, about this issue.

Japanese tourists visit a lychee garden in Luc Ngan.

How do you assess the opportunity of Bac Giang lychee when Vietnamese lychee is exported to Japan?

The Japanese approval of fresh lychee imports is good news for lychee growers in general and those in Bac Giang in particular, opening up new opportunities and a new export market for the province's fruit.

Through surveys of some experts, Japanese people’s demand for fresh lychees is quite high. In the lychee crop in 2019, many Japanese delegations came to Luc Ngan district. Through the experience of picking and enjoying lychees right at the orchard, they said they loved this product very much.

What are barriers that Bac Giang lychee has to overcome to enter the Japanese market?

The Japanese market can be said to be the most fastidious in the world. Vietnam’s fresh lychees exported to Japan must follow strict phytosanitary procedures on sterilization equipment, packaging, inspection at the sterilization area, confirmation of treating methods, inspection and labeling...

In addition to the above-said issues, stamps and labels on lychees also need to meet Japanese requirements. Especially, Japan does not check the probability but the entire consignment.

Therefore, in order to gain stable and sustainable export to the Japanese market, the key is to improve product quality. Producers must follow safe and hygienic production processes.

What advantages do we have to export lychees to Japan?

Bac Giang boasts the largest concentrated lychee area in the country, with big annual output. The whole province currently has more than 200 hectares granted by the Plant Protection Department with 18 production area codes, in Hong Giang, Giap Son, Quy Son and Tan Moc communes (Luc Ngan).

In recent years, products in the code-granted areas have always met requirements to be exported to fastidious markets such as the US and Australia. The brand of Vietnamese lychee is also protected in Japan. People in these lychee areas have caring experience to create quality products that are favoured by consumers.

Currently, which solutions Bac Giang is focusing on to ship its first batch of lychees to the Japanese market right in this lychee crop?

The province's goal is to export lychees to Japan in 2020, so Bac Giang is urgently implement measures. The Chairman of the provincial People's Committee has assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development with this task.

Recently, the department has worked with the Plant Protection Department. In the immediate future, it will propose the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issue a list of permitted pesticides for the Japanese market.

The department has also discussed with three major enterprises which boast many years of experience in exporting Vietnamese agricultural products to other countries, including the US and European countries. The businesses will soon survey the lychee areas and put forth demands for output and planting areas to deploy production and supervise the caring process. Farmers will sign a commitment with businesses regarding their compliance with the process.

On December 31, 2019, the specialized agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the department's units came to Luc Ngan to review and re-evaluate the planting areas. Based on their findings, they will give production orientations and recommendations to the farmers.

The department will direct professional units at the grassroots level to directly guide people and provide technical training for them on the implementation of food safety and hygiene regulations. Farmers are not allowed to raise cattle and poultry in the areas growing lychees for export, only use permitted pesticides, and comply with the principle of "4 right" (right drugs, right dosage, right time and right way) and ensure isolation time.

Thank you!