Hainan stands out as China's earliest lychee-producing region, with Lingshui County boasting the earliest market presence each year, a month ahead of similar varieties in Guangxi and Guangdong. However, adverse weather conditions, including low temperatures and heavy rainfall at the beginning of the year, have delayed the launch of early Hainan lychee varieties by 10-15 days compared to the previous year.
In early March, a limited quantity of Hainan lychees, including new early varieties like "Mudanhong," "Kejiyihao," and "Guizaoli," entered the market. These are typically packaged in boxes weighing around 1.5 kilograms, and market prices remain elevated. Presently, at Jiaxing Fruit Market, lychees are priced at approximately ¥120/kg, with most fruit stores and supermarkets refraining from immediate purchase.
According to vendors, Hainan's "Guihuaxiang" lychees are anticipated to debut in the market within days. Early lychee varieties often fall short in taste and sweetness compared to late varieties. Consumer feedback on "Guihuaxiang" lychees primarily revolves around their steep pricing, pronounced fruit acidity, modest sweetness, and inferior taste when compared to Feizixiao and Baitangying varieties. These early varieties lack distinct features apart from their early availability.
The "Guihuaxiang" lychees typically remain on the market for about a month, with production spanning from mid-March to mid-April. Owing to limited output, prices are expected to remain high. Subsequently, Sanyuehong lychees from Haikou and other regions are expected within a month, followed by the abundant supply of Feizixiao and Baitangying from northwest Hainan. This will be succeeded by a surge in lychee production from Guangxi, Guangdong, and other major production areas in May and June. Varieties such as Sanyuehong, Feizixiao, Baitangying, Nuomici, and Guiwei will mark the peak lychee season.
While last year witnessed high lychee production, this year's output is projected to decrease. Coupled with suboptimal flowering conditions in Shanghai, Guangdong, and Guangxi due to weather factors, overall production is anticipated to decline, potentially driving up prices compared to the previous year. Feizixiao and other lychee varieties might experience market delays, and the proportion of high-quality lychees could shrink. For instance, last year's average price for Feizixiao in Guangdong ranged from ¥9-11/kg, but this year's unified purchase price may escalate to ¥14/kg, reflecting a scenario of high prices amid limited supply.
Source: FreshSaga