Huu Lung: The "bitter" lychee season

People in Hoa Son commune, Huu Lung district, are harvesting lychees.

Huu Lung district has a large area of lychee cultivation in the province. According to statistics, the entire Huu Lung district currently has about 600 hectares of lychee trees, mainly grown in the communes of Hoa Son, Tan Thanh, Minh Son, etc. This is also the second largest fruit tree crop (after custard apple) in the district.

Currently, people are entering the peak harvest season for lychees, but the price is very low. Mr. Hoang Van Quynh, from Ho Muoi village, Minh Son commune, said: "My family currently has over 100 lychee trees. This year, the harvest is good; from the beginning of the season until now, my family has harvested over 3 tons of lychees, but the selling price is very low, only 5,000 - 7,000 VND/kg. We expect to harvest another 5 tons of lychees by the end of the season. Although the selling price is low, my family is still trying to harvest and sell to traders in the hope of recouping the investment, care, and labor costs we have incurred."

Not only Mr. Quynh's family, but all lychee growers in Hoa Son commune are struggling due to the plummeting price of lychees. Along the road leading to the center of Hoa Son commune, reporters still encountered traders buying lychees from the locals, but there was not a smile on the faces of the people. Mr. Duong Van Quang, from Chien Thang village, Hoa Son commune, shared: "Currently, my family has about 300 lychee trees. To take care of the trees, just the cost of fertilizer and pesticides... my family has spent about 8 million VND. This year, the family's harvest is estimated at over 2 tons (an increase of about 60% compared to last year), but the selling price is very low, averaging from 5,000 to 7,000 VND/kg (down from 10,000 to 13,000 VND/kg compared to last year)." Since the beginning of the season, my family has sold over 1 ton of lychees, but with such low prices, we've only earned about 5 million VND, which isn't enough to cover the costs of cultivation. Currently, although we still have a lot of lychees, we don't dare hire workers because selling 100 kg of lychees is barely enough to cover one day's wages.

Mr. Truong Duc Dung, Vice Chairman of the Hoa Son Commune People's Committee, said: Lychee is a fruit tree that people in the commune have been cultivating for a long time. The entire commune currently has about 115 hectares of lychee trees. It is estimated that this year's lychee production will reach over 1,000 tons (an increase of about 60-70% compared to last year). Although the lychee harvest is abundant and the fruit quality is assured, the selling price is very low and unstable, fluctuating daily, leaving lychee growers in a precarious situation.

According to information from specialized agencies, this year, the total lychee production of the entire district is estimated at 5,609 tons, an increase of about 20% compared to 2024. However, the price of lychees is very low. Currently, lychees are being purchased by traders at prices ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 VND/kg, a decrease of 10,000 to 13,000 VND/kg compared to the 2024 lychee season. The reason for the price drop is that this year, lychee production increased sharply while farmers mainly produce independently without any product distribution agreements, resulting in unstable output and complete dependence on traders.

Ms. Nong Thi Huyen Trang, Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Environment Department of Huu Lung District, said: "The natural conditions, soil, and climate of the district are very suitable for growing lychees. The quality of lychees grown in the district is also very good, with beautiful appearance and sweet, delicious taste. However, due to the lack of close links from production to consumption, farmers' products do not have a stable market and are often subjected to price manipulation by traders. To support lychee farmers in developing a more stable market, in the coming time, the department will coordinate with relevant units and the local authorities to guide and encourage people to apply science and technology to production to improve product quality; encourage farmers to proactively develop methods for preserving and processing lychees to increase their value; and actively seek and create conditions for businesses and cooperatives to come and learn about and build production linkage models to create a stable market for the product."

With the current drop in lychee prices, many farmers are facing the risk of losses, with the money earned from selling the fruit not enough to cover investment costs and labor. This shows that without appropriate development strategies, product distribution linkages, and a stable market, the "bumper harvest, low prices" phenomenon will continue, not only for lychees but also for other crops. Therefore, it is hoped that in the coming time, relevant authorities and sectors will implement practical solutions to support farmers in developing production in a more stable and sustainable manner, thereby gradually improving productivity, quality, and value of products, and expanding the market for local agricultural products.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/huu-lung-mua-vai-dang-5050913.html