According to Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Japan, Ta Duc Minh, Japan’s recent decision to admit Vietnamese “thieu” lychees is expected to open new doors for this fruit. The “Thieu” lychee is Vietnam’s fourth fresh fruit licensed to be exported to Japan after dragon fruit, mango and banana.
Since Japan is one of the choosiest markets in the world with strict food safety and hygiene standards, the presence of Vietnamese fresh lychee in the market will help widen doors to export to other developed countries, Minh said. To make good use of this opportunity, Minh advised businesses to strictly abide by Japan’s quarantine regulations and standards on food hygiene and safety.
Fruit exporters must pay special attention to the quarantine stage because any batches of lychee with pesticide residues exceeding the Japanese regulation will be returned or destroyed, he said, also suggesting they apply advanced preservation technology to keep the lychees fresh longer.
In December 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) sent a letter to the Plant Protection Department of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development saying to open door for Vietnamese “thieu” lychee. This is the result of more than five years of negotiation efforts between the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department and the MAFF.
