Hanoi (VNA) - The northernprovinces of Bac Giang, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Son La have proposed boostingexports of litchi and longan to foreign markets, including China.

The proposal was the key topic of discussionat an annual conference in Hanoi on April 18 on the production and distribution of these twomain fruit products in northern areas.

Per the request, the Minister of Agriculture andRural Development (MARD), Ministry of Industry and Trade and Ministry ofForeign Affairs will arrange talks with their Chinese counterparts to promoteVietnamese fruits’ entrance into the country, via negotiation, plant quarantineagreements and removing technical barriers.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong expressed determinationto help the provinces sell their products at home and abroad. 

Nguyen Hong Son, head of the MARD’s Crop Production Department, said domesticlitchi and longan consumption accounts for about 50 percent of output, albeitthis number is on the rise, mainly in urban areas.

Therefore, it is necessary to focus on these markets, by connecting producerswith chain distributors and wholesale markets, while keeping current importerssatisfied, such as China, the US, Japan and Australia.

He said that Vietnamese agricultural products are still accepted in China withlittle obstacles regarding regulations on origin and plant quarantine.

Hoang Trung, Director General of the MARD’sPlant Protection Department (PPD), said this year, his unit will conduct itsfirst on-site tests for litchi and longan crops during the harvest season inthe provinces.

The PPD will arrange mobile quarantine rooms in concentrated areas toissue certificates on the spot for exporting enterprises, instead of doing soat the border. This will help reduce congestion and shorten clearance timeat the border, said Trung.

The department has also been negotiating for higher fruit exports quota toJapan and the Republic of Korea, as many Japanese and Korean companies arekeen on importing these fruits.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Vice Chairwoman ofBac Giang provincial People’s Committee, said her constituency considers litchithe key driver for economic development. 

As current local production accounts for nearly 29,000 hectares, 2018’s outputis estimated at 150,000 to 180,000 tonnes, nearly double last year’s number,said Ha.

Such abundant yields, coupled with short harvesting time, storage andtransportation difficulties, have pressured the province to find an appropriateconsumption market. 

At present, the Chinese province of Guangxi has requested proof oftraceability for Vietnam’s agricultural products, which means the province mustnegotiate with Chinese partners to resolve any remaining difficulties.

On the same note, Tran Cong Truong, Vice Chairman of the Lang Son provincialPeople’s Committee, said China had asked his province to impose tightercontrols on agricultural goods entering China via Lang Son border gate.

Starting May 1 this year, farmers will be required to provide proper packagingand product labels in order to export to China.

To meet the requirements of traditional export markets and to expand to newmarkets for fruit and nuts, Vietnam needs to improve its activities in terms ofquality, design and food safety.

Dinh Cao Khue, General Director of the Dong Giao Foodstuff Export JointStock Company, said that his company has about 5,000 tonnes of processed litchiready for export, with prospects for fresh exports as well.

Khue was confident that Vietnamese products are strong enough to compete withother countries’, though they still need promotions abroad.

Litchi and longan are the two main fruit-bearingcrops in northern provinces, with a total area of 98,000 hectares, accountingfor 27 percent of total agricultural harvest, whose accumulated output isestimated to exceed 217,000 tonnes in 2018.-VNA