First batch of Vietnamese fresh lychee arrives in UK
A tonne of early ripening lychees has been shipped to the UK via TT Meridian Company, marking the first official shipment of the Vietnamese juicy fruit to the UK market this year.
Thai Tran, CEO of TT Meridian that specializes in distributing lychee and Vietnamese agricultural products in the UK, revealed that the firm has imported this Vietnamese fruit for the first time to compete with similar Mexican and Chinese products available in the UK market.
The fruit will be put up for sale at Asian and local supermarkets as soon as it reaches the UK, Thai said, adding that his firm will import between three and five tonnes of lychee per week depending on local consumer demand.
Notably, the packaging and labelling of lychee products bear the image of Vietnamese national flag to help British consumers quickly identify the Vietnamese fruit on supermarket shelves in the UK.
According to Nguyen Canh Cuong, Vietnamese Trade Counselor in the UK, a kilo of Vietnamese lychee costs GBP15, equivalent to VND435,000.
The retail price, he said, is a bit high due to high transport costs by air at between GBP3 and GBP4 per kilo to ensure freshness.
Cuong emphasized that mastering preservation technology will allow local exporters to transport lychees by maritime routes, helping to reduce the product price.
