Hung Yen egg-shaped lychees sold out before harvest begins

Despite being weeks away from peak harvest season, Hung Yen’s signature egg-shaped lychees are already sold out thanks to a surge in pre-orders.

With output nearly doubling last year’s, stable prices, and strong demand, this year’s lychee season is expected to bring significant gains for growers and boost the Hung Yen egg-shaped lychee brand both locally and beyond.

Phan Sao Nam commune in Phu Cu district is considered the hub of Hung Yen egg-shaped lychee production. As the district’s largest growing area and home to the original lychee tree, the commune stands as a symbol of the long-standing brand value of this specialty agricultural product. Farmers here are eagerly preparing for the upcoming harvest.

Nguyen Thi Thoang, a resident of Ba Dong village in Phan Sao Nam commune, grows Hung Yen egg-shaped lychees on 1.8 ha of land, with trees aged between three and eight years. Thanks to favourable weather, her orchard is expected to yield 2.5 to 3 tonnes of fruit this year. By early May, her entire crop had already been pre-ordered by buyers and traders.

“I even had to source lychees from other households to meet demand,” she said, noting that most customers are from Hanoi and southern localities.

According to Vu Dinh Binh, Vice Chairman of the Phan Sao Nam commune People’s Committee, the commune is now home to over 200 ha ofegg-shaped lychee orchards. Favourable weather conditions have helped boost this year’s output to over 200 tonnes, double that of 2024. Although peak harvest has yet to begin, about 50% of the crop has already been pre-ordered by traders and buyers.

Phu Cu district is the main growing area for the egg-shape lychees, with 400 ha cultivated under VietGAP standards, mostly in northern communes such as Phan Sao Nam, Minh Tan, Doan Dao, and Quang Hung.

Vu Xuan Thuy, Vice Chairman of the Phu Cu district People’s Committee said the district’s total output in 2025 is estimated at 300–350 tonns, with the peak harvest expected between June 7 and 10. Despite being priced significantly higher than regular lychees, egg-shaped lychees remain in high demand, often pre-ordered as premium gifts.

Da Loc commune in An Thi district now has around 60 ha of egg-shaped lychee orchards, an increase of nearly 50 ha since 2020, with estimated output exceeding 50 tonnes. According to Doan Van Hieu, Director of the Hung Yen Egg-shaped Lychee Cooperative in Da Loc, the first harvest is expected by the end of May. However, around 80% of the crop has already been pre-ordered by traders at prices ranging from 120,000 VND (4.61 USD) to 150,000 VND per kilogram.

Hung Yen now has around 500 ha of egg-shaped lychee cultivation, mainly concentrated in Phu Cu and An Thi districts. The fruit was granted a trademark certification by the Intellectual Property Office in 2020 and has been rated a 4-star OCOP product by the provincial People’s Committee. With its distinctive aroma, appealing appearance, and improved quality thanks to safer and more organic-oriented farming practices, the fruit have become increasingly popular among discerning consumers.

In recent years, to enhance the brand and value of Hung Yen egg-shaped lychees, local authorities and relevant sectors have launched various trade promotion activities, including organising supply–demand connection conferences and supporting outstanding growers and cooperatives to join provincial agricultural trade promotion events. Such initiatives have helped producers expand production and connect with more distributors and suppliers in an outside the country. As a result, this fruit continue to be favoured by businesses, traders, and consumers alike.

Beyond generating high income, egg lychees have helped promote Hung Yen’s agricultural brand across the country. With their rich sweetness, thin skin, small seeds, and distinct fragrance, the fruit is steadily gaining market recognition. Their popularity also reflects a growing consumer preference for safe and traceable produce./.

VNA