Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue called on the Chinese side to facilitate customs clearance of Vietnamese agricultural products, including lychees, while addressing an economic forum in Bac Giang province on June 8.

The forum focused on the production and consumption of lychees and other key agricultural products of the northern province, which is home to the largest concentrated lychee farming area in Vietnam – more than 28,000 hectares.

Participants in the forum visit booths introducing agricultural products of Bac Giang on June 8

Sharing the Deputy PM’s view, officials of the districts with big farm produce output in Bac Giang like Luc Ngan, Yen The, Tan Yen and Hiep Hoa also asked the administration of Pingxiang town, the Chinese province of Guangxi, to create more favourable conditions for vehicles transporting agricultural products, especially lychees, to go through its border gates as soon as possible.

Representatives from Lang Son and Lao Cai provinces, which border China, pledged to provide the best conditions for the customs clearance of farm produce and coordinate with Chinese authorities to remove export-import obstacles.

Meanwhile, the Chinese side also promised to swiftly handle customs procedures for Bac Giang lychees.

A leader of the Pingxiang fruits association said more than 200 traders are in Bac Giang and some localities of nearby Hai Duong province to purchase lychees in big volume.

At the forum, Vice Chairman of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee Duong Van Thai said local authorities have provided the best support possible for lychee farmers and domestic and foreign businesses to harvest and purchase lychees. The province is also actively taking measures to expand the market for the fruit in both Vietnam and other countries.

Lychees are one of the 52 key agricultural products of Bac Giang, a list approved by local authorities in 2017.

About 13,500ha of lychee trees in Bac Giang are farmed under VietGAP standards with an estimated output of 90,000 tonnes. Of that area, 218ha with more than 10,000 tonnes of lychees are cultivated under GlobalGAP standards and eligible for export to demanding markets.

Total lychee output in the province is expected at 150,000 – 180,000 tonnes in 2018.

( VNF/VNA )