Workshop boosts fresh lychee exports via Lang Son border gates

A workshop was held on June 13 to boost lychee exports to China via border gates in the northern mountainous province of Lang Son.

The event, the third of its kind, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese provinces of Bac Giang , Hai Duong and Lang Son, and the Chinese town of Pingxiang in Guangxi.

Vice Chairman of the Lang Son People’s Committee Nguyen Cong Truong said the province has instructed the Management Board of Dong Dang Border Gate Economic Zone, and the Van Lang district authorities to work with relevant Chinese bodies to facilitate lychee exports to China.

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Efforts include expanding customs clearance hours and delivery storage sites in a bid to ease the load in the key border gates of Tan Thanh and Coc Nam.

Additionally, relevant bodies are asked create favourable conditions for enterprises to ship their lychees via the local border gates during ha r vest time.

According to the management board, comprehensive infrastructure facilities have been developed in local border economic zones and border gates to meet storage demands.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Lang Son province Customs Department Vy Cong Tuong called on enterprises to connect with farmers to ensure lychee quality and supply for exports.

He also underlined the need to establish an association of lychee exporters to support the sector.

According to the Bac Giang province People’s Committee, the total output for the province in 2016 is expected to reach 130,000 tons of lychees, a fall of 30 percent from 2015.

Some 60 percent of the output is estimated to be consumed by the domestic market. China is the major importer of Bac Giang lychees, mostly via border gates in Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Lang Son provinces. Hai Duong province has a mere 11,000 hecates of lychee trees, producing 50,000 tons. Between 25-3 0 percent of the volume is shipped abroad.