UK consumers taste fresh Vietnamese lychees

The remaining fruit in a batch of two tonnes of Vietnamese lychees was officially shipped to the UK market and distributed to a supermarket chain for the first time via TT Meridian Co, Ltd. on June 30.

To meet the stringent standards of food hygiene and safety set by the UK importer, London-based TT Meridian Co, Ltd. has co-operated alongside FUSA Organic Agriculture Joint Stock Company of Vietnam to select lychees from cultivation areas in the northern province of Bac Giang which come up to Global GAP standards.

Thai Tran, managing director of TT Meridian Co, Ltd., revealed that the UK sets high technical standards for agricultural products imported from other countries, especially from developing countries, a factor which means local firms must thoroughly prepare when exporting food items.

According to Tran, both FUSA and TT Meridian Co, Ltd. have experience in importing and exporting agricultural products to the EU market, including countries such as the Czech Republic, France, and the Netherlands.

There are bright prospects ahead for high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products to penetrate the market, particularly following the UK's exit from the EU and Vietnamese participation in numerous free trade agreements, he noted.

In addition, the enforcement of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) is anticipated to serve to significantly reduce the import duties levied on agricultural products imported from Vietnam into the UK.

Despite these positives, Tran advised Vietnamese businesses to pay close attention to the requirements set out in terms of quality, design, and technical standards for imported goods, along with international certifications on quality management and occupational safety to make further inroads into the demanding market.