After more than a decade of negotiations, the first shipments of litchi left Vietnam May 30 for the US and another head for Australia next month.
Hoang Trung, deputy director of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of Plant Protection
Hoang Trung, deputy director of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of Plant Protection told DTiNews it took Vietnam 12 years to complete food safety requirements for exports of litchi and longan to the US and Australia.
Growers in Bac Giang and Hai Duong Provinces in the north and some localities in the south have been trained to meet the high standards, such as restricted pesticide use.
The Department of Plant Protection (DPP) has granted eight codes for litchi growing regions in Bac Giang Province, two others in northern Hai Duong Province. Two codes for longan growing areas were granted in northern Hung Yen Province and two others were granted in Hanoi.
“Vietnam has met all technical requirements for litchi and longan exports to the US and Australia. Exports to other markets are expected to be much easier,” Trung noted.
It took only three years to meet requirements for Japan and South Korea.
Vietnam's litchi to grace Australian, US tables
“Complicated plant quarantine has been the biggest challenge," Trung said.
Litchi is the first fresh fruit from Vietnam to win export approval for the island continent of Australia, which has rigid restrictions to protect its domestic producers from potentially damaging insects.
Vietnam already exports blue dragon and rambutan to the US and imports apples, pears, grapes and cherries from the US.
It wants to export 12 more fruits to the US, including mangos and star apples, and is making steady progress to open those markets.
The first shipment of one tonne of litchi was flown to the US on May 30, by Anh Duong Sao Company.
Rong Do Company will send the first shipment of litchi to Australia on June 10.
