Vietnam's litchi and longan to be exported to the US

Exports of Vietnam’s fresh litchi and longan fruits will be permited the US (except Florida and Hawaii) from October this year, if passing the food hygiene and safety criteria, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

The country is expected to ship about 600,000 tonnes of litchi and 1,200 tonnes of longan a year to the market.

Illustration photo (Photo: Huu Chi)

Although the US Department of Agriculture has sought to import fresh litchi and longan from Vietnam since 2011, the MARD’s Department of Plant Protection said that not satisfying technical requirements made the progress slow.

Before officially exporting the fruits to the US, the Department of Plant Protection is instructing farmers in the care, harvesting and maintainence of thefruit. In addition, the department urged processing and export plants to fulfill radiation maps for the fruits as well as cooperate with quarantine standards of the US to build codes for litchi and longan plantation areas in northern and southern Vietnam to export to the market.

(Source: CPV)