Prospects for a bumper season of Phu Cu early-ripening hybrid lychee

Coming to Phu Cu district these days, it can be seen of the early-ripening hybrid lychee area laden with fruit. Although there are still more than 10 days left until the main harvest, right from the beginning of May 2024, many traders from everywhere have visited lychee gardens to survey and ask about purchasing.

The early- ripening hybrid lychee is a strong crop of Phu Cu district with a total area of over 850 hectares, concentrated in communes: Tam Da, Minh Tien, Tien Tien... This year's lychee output is estimated to reach about over 13,500 tons (the early-ripening hybrid lychee output in 2023 is about more than 12,000 tons). Special conditions of soil and climate have helped early-ripening hybrid lychees grown on Phu Cu land to have such outstanding advantages as: harvest time is 2 to 3 weeks earlier than main-season lychees. The advantage of early ripening combined with a bright, beautiful appearance and a characteristic sweet taste has made Phu Cu early-ripening hybrid lychees an agricultural product that attracts customers. Phu Cu early-ripening hybrid lychee product has been granted a trademark registration certificate by the Department of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology); and rated 4-star OCOP product by Hung Yen Provincial People's Committee.

Coming to Tam Da commune on a May day, we can enjoy watching the laden bunches of lychees. The large, plump bunches of lychees are turning very eye-catching in color. Lychee growers here have experience in production, so for many years the rate of flowering and fruiting in local lychee gardens has often been high. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khoat, an old farmer in Tam Da commune, said: The weather is not the same every year. Lychee growers need to clearly understand that change to adjust fertilizer dosage for lychee trees and know when to fertilize accordingly. Up to this point, traders have come and asked to buy lychees of more than 100 lychee trees in my family at a higher price than that in previous years and this year's lychee output is expected to be higher, so my family is very excited.

“In just about 10 days, the early-ripening hybrid lychee areas on Tam Da land will be crowded with vehicles coming in and out to buy. In 2024, it is expected that the total lychee output of Tam Da commune will reach 5,000 tons. This year, farmers in Tam Da commune will have a bumper lychee season and good price." - That is the opinion of comrade Tran Ngoc Dai, Vice Chairman of Tam Da Commune People's Committee.

Phu Cu's early-ripening hybrid lychee promises a good harvest

In recent years, Minh Tien has been a key commune growing Phu Cu early-ripening hybrid lychees with an area of over 250 hectares. This year, the commune's estimated output of early-ripening hybrid lychee will reach nearly 7,000 thousand tons. At present, there are many traders from provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Nghe An coming to the garden to order and purchase fresh lychees for people in the commune. Ms. Dong Thi Thu Huong, Director of Minh Tien Agricultural Cooperative (Minh Tien commune) said: This year, the weather supports the growth of lychee trees, many gardeners have a fruit-bearing rate of over 80%. Output is expected to increase by about 20% compared to the previous year. It is expected that from May 20, the Cooperative will purchase Phu Cu early-ripening hybrid lychees to sell to wholesale markets in the provinces.

Recently, to build the Phu Cu early-ripening hybrid lychee brand, Phu Cu district has focused on directing and guiding farmers to produce early- ripening hybrid lychees to meet VietGAP, OTAS standards and register OCOP products. Along with instructing people to comply with the production process, local authorities coordinate with functional sectors to proactively link consumption, increase promotion and introduction of products, and connect product consumption markets for farmers... This year, the work of promoting trade in the consumption of early-ripening hybrid lychees has received special attention from the District People's Committee. According to the plan, in the middle of May 2024, the People's Committee of Phu Cu district will organize a conference to consume Phu Cu early-ripening hybrid lychees with the participation of many companies, businesses, and supermarkets. Along with that, before the lychee harvest, the district People's Committee's leaders organize working with traders and local lychee purchasing focal points to connect the market for early-ripening hybrid lychee products to farmers, limiting buying and selling competition and price pressure. At the same time, the district requires functional departments to guide lychee growers to comply with the production process to provide the best quality and safest Phu Cu early- ripening hybrid lychee products to consumers.