The first Thanh Ha litchi festival will be organised in the northern province of Hai Duong on June 10 to promote the local specialty fruit.

This was announced by the organising board at a press conference on Wednesday.

The festival will create opportunities for local farmers to connect with supermarkets as well as processing and export firms while facilitating the signing of contracts and memorandum of understanding on the consumption of litchi and other agricultural products.

An array of activities will be held during the festival, including tours to the ancient litchi tree in Thuy Lam village in Thanh Son Commune, Thanh Ha District; visits to VietGAP litchi gardens; and boat tours to litchi orchards along Huong river, among others. Visitors can also try their hand at picking litchi in gardens in Thanh Ha District and Chi Linh Town.

Hai Duong litchi received the geographical indication from the Ministry of Science and Technology’s National Office of Intellectual Property in 2007. The local fruit was listed in the top 10 quality products in 2013 and 2014 and received the Gold Brand prize in 2015.

The Vietnam Association of Food Science and Technology granted a “trustful and safe food brand” certificate to Thanh Ha litchi in 2016. The same year, the ancient litchi tree in Thuy Lam village was recognised as the oldest of its kind in Viet Nam.

According to Nguyen Thi Ha, vice director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the province has 10,500ha of litchi cultivation, which are expected to yield 55,000-60,000 tonnes of fruit this year. The harvest time is from May 15 to the end of June.

Currently, 131.68ha of local litchi cultivation are qualified for exports to the United States, European Union and Australia. The province is also home to 334ha of litchi grown in accordance with VietGAP standards.

Besides the domestic market, Thanh Ha litchi has increased its presence outside the country. The fruit has been exported to Australia, Canada, China, France, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. — VNS