The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) has sent a letter to the Plant Protection Department of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development saying to open door for Vietnamese “thieu” lychee.

This is the result of more than five years of negotiation efforts between the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department and the MAFF.

The letter was enclosed with regulations on imported plant quarantine for Vietnamese lychee, which took effect from December 15, 2019.

Accordingly, Vietnamese lychee exported to Japan must be grown in gardens supervised and granted area codes by the Plant Protection Department, and comply with Japan’s regulations on plant quarantine and food safety.

Exported batches must be packed and treated with Methyl Bromide at facilities recognised by the Plant Protection Department and the MAFF with the minimum dosage of 32g/m3 for two hours under the supervision of Vietnamese and Japanese plant quarantine officers.

They must be enclosed with a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Plant Protection Department.

The department said it will continue coordinating with businesses to soon complete preparatory work and seek partners to export the first batch of fresh “thieu” lychee to Japan in 2020.