Hanoi (VNA) – The first batches of fresh “thieu”lychee to Japan, more than 2 tonnes in total, have gone through customsclearance at Japan's Narita International Airport and will be hitting shelvessoon, according to the Plant Protection Department.
Japanese experts on June 18 examined and supervisedphytosanitary measures and treatment for the lychee in the northern province ofBac Giang where the fruit was grown. The shipments were made by exporters AmeiiVietnam JSC and Chanh Thu.
The two companies dispatched two other shipments to Japan bysea on June 20, around 3 tonnes each, which are expected to arrive the country within seven days.
Japan is expected to purchase about 100 tonnes of fresh “thieu”lychee from Vietnam this year.
Over the last four years, the Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development (MARD) has worked with the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) to conduct testing and negotiations to pave theway for the export.
Last year, the MAFF finally agreed to import lychee from Vietnam.
Earlier, Japanese experts went to Bac Giang’s Lục Ngandistrict to check and were satisfied with the lychee growing areas granted with export standard codes. However, they still have to directlysupervise the process of harvesting, preserving and packaging of lychee exported to this market.
The lychee exports must be packed and treatedwith methyl bromide fumigation at facilities approved by the Plant ProtectionDepartment and MAFF with a minimum dosage of 32g per cu.m within two hours,under the supervision of Vietnamese and Japanese plant quarantine officers./.