AU: Opens to Vietnamese lychees after 12 years

After a difficult 12 year process, Vietnam lychee producers have finally gained access to the Australian market. Mai Xuan Thin, Export Director of the company Red Dragon, assures that despite this struggle, the firm is more than ready to meet Australia’s phytosanitary standards, as “We have 8 years’ experience supplying produce to the EU and we have good systems in place to control pests and guarantee the safety of our products, such as electron beam treatments.”

At this time, Red Dragon has already made two 3,240 kg shipments to Australia, and Mr Xuan Thin reports that “We are also currently loading the third shipment, totalling 5,400 kg.” The lychees will be exclusively distributed in Australia by PanAsia Fresh, which plans to continue supplying 15 to 25 tonnes of Vietnamese fresh lychee per week via airplane.

A worker getting the lychees ready for electric beam radiation

The lychee variety supplied by Red Dragon is the Thieu, characterised by its nice red colour, small seed and great and refreshing taste. “In Vietnam, the fruit is grown on a total of around 30,000 hectares, with the season lasting from the first week of June to late July,” explains Mr Xuan Thin.

One of the main reasons why Australia has long been a desirable market for Vietnam is that, while Australia also produces the fruit, its season starts much later, in December, so there is no chance for overlaps. Red Dragon works with 100 growers in the provinces of Hai Duong and Bac Giang, who will help the firm supply 120 tonnes of the fruit to Australia this season.

For more information:

Red Dragon Co., Ltd., Vietnam
Mai Xuan Thin
Tel: +84 8 39210467
Mobile: +84 97 2421616
+84 97 3221717
Skype: maixuanthin
Email: thin@reddragon.vn
Email2: maixuanthin@gmail.com
Website: www.reddragon.vn