Vietnam’s Poor Lychee Harvest Causes Higher Prices and Lower Exports

According to a Vietnamese news report, Vietnam’s total lychee export value in the first half of this year was only $23.6 million, a year-on-year decrease of approximately 46% compared with the same period of 2023. Among the top 10 overseas markets for Vietnamese lychees, China, the biggest importer, saw its import value fall sharply to just $14.5 million, a year-on-year decrease of 62%. Meanwhile, Japan and the United Kingdom, the second- and third-largest importers, witnessed declines of 4% and 16%, respectively.

Vietnam’s lychee cultivation is primarily concentrated in the provinces of Hai Duong, Bac Giang and Hung Yen, as well as some parts of the Central Highlands region. According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, the main reason for the sharp decline in lychee exports is a poor harvest, which led to a significant reduction in the available lychee supply. This year, Vietnam’s lychee output was only around 200,000 metric tons, representing a 50% decrease compared with 2023. Bac Giang province’s output was approximately 100,000 metric tons, while Hai Duong province produced about 45,000 metric tons, corresponding to year-on-year decreases of 50% and 23%, respectively.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Giang province stated that this year’s lychee harvest was the worst on record, with prices reaching historic highs. By the end of the season, lychee prices in Vietnam’s domestic market had soared to 180,000 Vietnamese dong ($7.13) per kilogram, far exceeding last year’s prices, which hovered between 40,000 dong ($1.59) and 60,000 dong ($2.38) per kilogram. Retail prices for some varieties even surged to 360,000 dong ($14.27) per kilogram. Additionally, this year saw a much shorter window for purchasing lychees, with some supermarkets offering them for less than a month, a stark contrast to their greater availability in previous years.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.