China, the birthplace of lychees and the world's largest producer, plays a dominant role in global lychee supply. In 2023, global lychee production reached approximately 4.5 million tons, with China contributing about 3.8 million tons, an impressive 84.4% share. However, in 2024, extreme weather events such as hailstorms caused a sharp decline in production, reducing China's output to just 1.781 million tons, nearly half of the previous year's volume. Looking ahead to 2025, the industry anticipates a strong rebound, with total production expected to reach around 3.65 million tons. Guangdong and Guangxi are forecasted to enjoy a bumper harvest, while production in Hainan remains limited due to typhoon damage.
At present, China's lychee export season is in its early stages. Due to limited supply and elevated prices, air freight remains the primary mode of transportation. Industry insiders expect that as supply increases and market conditions stabilize after May, some exports will gradually shift to sea freight. Hainan, thanks to its early harvest window, continues to serve as a key hub for lychee air shipments.
"Air transport is currently our primary option," said Zheng Xuezhi, co-founder of TastiMax. His orchard has implemented strict pesticide control measures and has achieved "zero pesticide residue" cultivation for several years. However, this approach also imposes stricter transportation requirements, as current preservation technologies are not yet sufficient to support long-term sea shipping without compromising freshness. As a result, air transport remains necessary to maintain quality and taste.
As a tropical fruit tree, lychee cultivation faces significant challenges in pest and disease control, making zero-pesticide-residue production both technically complex and cost-intensive. Zheng shared that his team began phasing out herbicides and chemical fertilizers in 2012, completely eliminating fertilizer use by 2014. By 2016, the orchard had met zero-residue standards, and continuous testing has since ensured compliance with food safety protocols.
"Although China has long held the title of the world's largest lychee exporter, its export markets have primarily been in Asia, where competition is largely price-driven and average quality is common," Zheng explained. "The main export variety remains Feizixiao, which has the largest cultivation area and the highest yield in China. To break into high-end markets such as Europe, we still face key challenges, namely improving quality, stabilizing supply, and building strong brand recognition."
TastiMax focuses on exporting ecologically and organically grown fruits, promoting sustainable farming practices that restore soil health and preserve the fruits' natural flavor and nutritional value. "Our mission is to bring truly delicious Chinese fruits to the world," Zheng said.
