Northern Vietnam gets a luscious lychee shine

By Ngoc Thanh June 21, 2018 | 06:46 pm PT

When it is lychee season, the streets of Bac Giang Province and surrounding areas are a sight to behold.

Over the last few days, Bac Giang Province, home to Luc Ngan District which is famous as the major lychee producing area in the country, has worn a decorated look.

The traffic of motorbikes carrying harvested lychees is several kilometers long.

At 5:30 a.m., highway 279 is covered with the distinct red color from lychee as traders rush to deliver this seasonal fruit to wet markets. Lychee are freshly pick daily at 2 a.m.

At 5:30 a.m., highway 279 is packed with lychee traders rushing to deliver the seasonal fruit to wet markets. Lychee are freshly picked daily at 2 a.m.

Traffic lasted for many hours and some people even set up small locations to buy off lychee fresh from the market.

The street has been painted lychee red.

A Chinese trader is using body language to communicate and negotiate price. Locals said that Chinese fruit traders are their biggest buyer.

A Chinese trader negotiates. Locals say Chinese fruit traders are their biggest buyers.

My family harvested roughly 10 tons of lychee. This is the first batch of the season market price is high, even higher than best looking lychee. My family sells one ton per week, Ngo Xuan Phuc shared as he wiped of the sweats as he also swallowed by the heavy traffic.

“My family harvested roughly 10 tons of lychee. This is the first batch of the season. My family sells one ton per week,” Ngo Xuan Phuc said, as he sweeps sweat off his face.

Farmers are weighing baskets of lychee. Farmers and traders only estimates weight, and use verbal deals. A lychee basket costs between VND 3,000-16,000/kilogram. However, due to great supply but low demand, a 120-200 kilogram lychee basket now only value roughly VND500,000 instead of VND 3 million in previous years.

Farmers weigh lychee baskets. A lychee basket costs between VND3,000-16,000 ($0.13-0.70) a kilogram. However, prices have fallen in recent years. A 120-200 kilogram lychee basket only fetches VND500,000, instead of VND3 million in previous years.

Traders are carefully picking lychee and throw away bad ones. My family bought lychee from Hai Duong City, before continue buying more at Bac Giang Province. From 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the whole season, my team gathers 60 tons of lychee, packs into four containers, before ship them out to China.

Traders study the lychee bunches carefully to spot any fruit that is bad. “My family bought lychee from Hai Duong before coming to Bac Giang Province to buy more. From 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. ,throughout the whole season, my team gathers 60 tons of lychee and packs them into four containers before shipping it to China.”

Traders are packing lychee into boxes, sending them to boder gate for quality check before exporting.

Traders pack lychee into boxes that will be taken to the border gate.