Bac Giang lychee season has ended. According to the Bac Giang Department of Industry and Trade, this year's lychee output reached nearly 86,000 tons, lower than the previously estimated figure of 100,000 tons. Compared to the same period last year, the lychee output in 2024 was only 42.5%.

Of which, early lychee output reached 47,600 tons, equal to 85.5% compared to last year; main crop lychee output reached over 38,100 tons, equal to 26.1%.

The reason is that last winter was cold but cold late, the average temperature was about 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than previous years. With lychee, early cold weather is enough for the tree to differentiate flower buds, late cold weather will cause the tree to have no flowers, only leaves.

Not to mention, according to the rule, after 3-4 years of good harvest, the poor health of the plants will lead to crop failure. Bac Giang litchi had a good harvest from 2020-2023, so this year's output has dropped sharply.

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Bac Giang lychee output this year decreased by hundreds of thousands of tons but revenue increased by 156 billion VND. Photo: Tam An

However, this year the price of lychee is sky high, ranging from 55,000-110,000 VND/kg, 3-4 times higher than last year.

Accordingly, nearly 61,000 tons of lychee were consumed in the domestic market, with about 24,800 tons exported.

The main market for lychee is still China. Notably, lychee exports to the EU and Dubai markets increased sharply by more than 147% and 140% respectively compared to 2023.

At the end of the harvest, revenue from lychee and ancillary activities this year only reached 5,775 billion VND, equal to 84% compared to last year. Revenue from lychee alone reached 4,814 billion VND, an increase of 156 billion VND compared to 2023 - an unprecedented high revenue in history.

In 2023, the total lychee consumption output of Bac Giang province will reach over 201,600 tons. The revenue value from lychee and ancillary services is estimated at over 6,876 billion VND, of which the revenue from lychee alone is estimated at over 4,658 billion VND.

Mr. Le Ba Thanh - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Giang province - said that farmers are selling lychees at record high prices. Specifically, the price of early lychees ranges from 60,000-110,000 VND/kg, while the price of main-season lychees ranges from 55,000-90,000 VND/kg.

According to him, this season, lychee crop failed, lychee output was low, so traders and businesses had to go to the garden to buy the goods.

Although this year's lychee crop was not good, with the view of continuing to maintain traditional markets, expanding new markets, and increasing product value, Bac Giang has proactively planned to promote consumption; at the same time, guiding farmers to take care of and improve the quality of lychees; all levels, sectors, and localities have organized connection and introduction activities to bring lychees further, Mr. Thanh emphasized.

Previously, speaking with VietNamNet reporter, Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, Deputy Head of Planning and Finance Department of Bac Giang Province's Department of Industry and Trade, admitted that lychee has never been so expensive. If calculated on average, this year's lychee price is the highest since lychee became a large-scale commodity crop in the locality.

Notably, not only Bac Giang province in our country has a bad lychee crop, but lychees grown in China are also in a similar situation. Therefore, Chinese traders are all buying up this fruit to bring it back to the billion-people market for consumption.

Thanks to that, although lychee output has decreased sharply compared to previous crops, Bac Giang farmers have earned record amounts of money.

Chinese traders go all over Luc Ngan to buy lychees, lychee prices hit record highs . Many Chinese traders have been in Bac Giang to buy large quantities of lychees and transport them back to the country for consumption. Thanks to that, the average price of lychees has skyrocketed to a historical record high.