Light crop drives up lychee prices

Consumers can expect to pay more for lychees this summer, as pickers start harvesting a lighter than expected crop in Vietnam, reports the Tien Phong (Vanguard) Newspaper.

Local growers have reported this year’s lychee harvest is substantially down from the prior three years and off by as much as 25% against last year alone because of unseasonal rains earlier this year that destroyed blooms.

The average selling price of lychees in the northern province of Bac Giang ranged US$.80-US$1.90 per kilogram for low to high quality fruit, which is near record high levels.

Duong Van Thai, vice chair of the Bac Giang People’s Committee noted lychees are selling for as much as US$3 per kilogram in China and most of the harvest from the region, which is just starting to trickle in, is bound for Chinese markets.

People who have got crop could do quite well this season, said Mr Thai. But of course, the disappointing problem is that very few have a good harvest to look forward too.