First Thanh Ha lychees from Hai Duong arrive in Paris, marking new chapter for Vietnam's agricultural exports
WVR - On June 2, more than two tons of Vietnam's first fresh lychees arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport, marking a significant milestone in the journey of Vietnamese agricultural products into the European market
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| First Thanh Ha lychees from Hai Duong arrive in Paris, marking new chapter for Vietnam's agricultural exports: French consumers enjoy Vietnamese lychees. (Photo: VNA) |
The fresh thin-skinned, pink-blushed, juicy, and sweet lychees from Thanh Ha, Hai Duong, are now on display at the Vietnamese-French Market (Cho Viet-Phap) in Paris, opening a promising new chapter for Vietnam’s agricultural export sector.
Vietnamese lychees reach supermarket shelves in Paris
Mr. Vu Anh Son, Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in France, shared that thanks to their superior quality and strict compliance with technical standards, the first shipment of Hai Duong’s 2025 lychee crop successfully arrived at Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris.
A mere five hours later, the fruits were already available on supermarket shelves in the French capital.
This "lightning speed" reflects not only meticulous logistical preparation but also the relentless efforts of businesses and regulatory agencies to perfect the export process.
This success did not come by chance—it is the result of a long journey filled with challenges and valuable lessons.
Mr. Nguyen Van Nam, a representative of the Vietnamese- French Market enterprise—the company directly importing lychees from Vietnam—candidly shared the difficulties faced in the first year:
"Due to a lack of experience, last year we made several mistakes, from the quality and size of the lychees to improper preservation, transportation, and packaging."
"For these reasons, there were many risks during the shipping and business process, which significantly affected the company, both financially and in terms of reputation, especially as we were acting as a distributor for other partners."
However, these early setbacks did not discourage them. On the contrary, they became a driving force for all parties involved to work together and find solutions.
Mr. Nam said "This year, we sat down together to review and learn from the past... to ensure that all the issues from last year are addressed and resolved."
In a spirit of collaboration and mutual development, both the French and Vietnamese sides have made great efforts to address all issues—from packaging and preservation to quality inspection—ensuring strict monitoring of lychee size, colour, and overall standards. These measures aim to maintain and promote the strengths of Vietnamese lychees, helping to further introduce and expand their presence on supermarket shelves across France.
Continuing the export story with quality
These efforts to improve quality have been rewarded with positive feedback from French consumers. Tasting the juicy, thick-fleshed fruit, Ms. Gyldan Percy, a local customer, couldn’t hide her pleasant surprise: "This is the first time I’ve tried Vietnamese lychees, and I find them sweeter than the lychees from Madagascar, which I’ve had before."
Mr. Savary Lionnel, another French customer, also expressed his excitement: "Someone just offered me a lychee—it’s in season and has just arrived at the store. I tasted it and found it absolutely wonderful. Honestly, I really like lychees; it’s one of my favorite tropical fruits."
The success of Vietnamese lychees in France would not have been possible without support from multiple parties, particularly the vital role played by regulatory agencies and logistics partners.
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| First Thanh Ha lychees from Hai Duong arrive in Paris, marking new chapter for Vietnam's agricultural exports: The first fresh thin-skinned, pink-blushed, juicy, and sweet lychees from Thanh Ha, Hai Duong, are now on display at the Vietnamese - French Market (Cho Viet-Phap) in Paris. (Photo: VNA) |
Mr. Nguyen Van Nam acknowledged: "In order for Vietnamese lychees to enter the French market through official channels, we must first highlight the assistance of the Vietnam Trade Office, which has always served as a bridge connecting businesses in France and Vietnam."
He also gave special recognition to the role of Vietnam Airlines in transport and customs clearance: "To ensure Vietnamese lychees reach the French market as quickly as possible, we must also appreciate the coordination and support from Vietnam Airlines. They have given special priority to transporting Vietnamese agricultural products efficiently, ensuring the lychees arrive fresh and of the highest quality."
This demonstrates how coordinated efforts across sectors have created an effective export support ecosystem.
Mr. Vu Anh Son also emphasized the broader strategic significance of this success: "This is part of a series of efforts initiated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and assigned to Trade Offices to further support and promote market diversification, enhance adaptability to global fluctuations, and once again affirm the proactive stance of Vietnamese enterprises on the path to international integration."
Looking ahead to 2025, Mr. Nguyen Van Nam expressed optimism, setting a goal to “exceed last year’s volume, with a minimum of 20 tons—and potentially much more.”
This optimism was echoed by Mr. Vu Anh Son: “We hope that, with the more active and widespread participation of French importers this year, the total volume of lychees exported here will reach a new record.”
From the lush lychee orchards of Hai Duong to supermarket shelves in France and other European countries, Vietnamese lychees are continuing to write a story of export success built on quality and national pride.
Each shipment of sweet, juicy lychees—rich in the flavor of their homeland—not only helps elevate Vietnamese agricultural products on the global stage, but also affirms the nation’s efforts to transform its agriculture sector toward greater modernization, sustainability, and deeper global integration.
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