Japanese consumers are likely to miss the first chance to taste Vietnamese fresh lychees this year as the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) has not sent experts to Vietnam to inspect its disinfection treatment system due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The information was confirmed by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) in a document sent to the Industry and Trade Departments of Hai Duong and Bac Giang provinces – the country’s two largest lychee growers.  

The MoIT has sent a written request to the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, urging him to work alongside the MAFF in an effort to persuade the Japanese side to consider alternative solutions to the current situation.

It proposed that the Japanese side either authorise independent assessment organisations to carry out the task, or collaborate with the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to get the work done remotely.

In addition, the MoIT has also sent a letter to the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to propose flexible measures being implemented in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic in an attempt to remove hurdles that firms face when trying to export fresh lychees to Japan. Indeed, the letter encourages both sides to abide by the spirit of the Japan-ASEAN Joint Statement on Initiatives on Economic Resilience in Response to COVID-19.

As a result, the MoIT has asked Hai Duong and Bac Giang provinces to provide local businesses with updated information whilst simultaneously co-ordinating efforts with relevant agencies from both countries in a bid to devise a thorough solution to the current situation.