LUC NGAN LYCHEE / VẢI THIỀU LỤC NGẠN

Luc Ngan Lychee is a lychee that features a larger size and stronger sweetness compared to lychees grown in other areas in Vietnam.
　It is shipped as fresh lychee, as well as whole frozen lychee and peeled and pitted frozen lychee.
　Luc Ngan Lychee was registered as a geographical indication in Vietnam in 2008, and is also protected in EU as a geographical indication under the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which came into force in 2020.

For the production of Luc Ngan Lychee, only seedlings of the variety "Thieu" that have been vegetatively propagated from excellent trees in the producing area can be used.
　With the purpose of cultivation management, almost all of the branches, including major ones, are pruned off after harvesting.
　Fresh fruits that are not significantly scratched or damaged can be shipped. For whole frozen lychee and peeled and pitted frozen lychee, only fruits that are not significantly scratched or damaged, whose surface has a thin ice layer, and that are hard and separated can be shipped.

The producing area of Luc Ngan Lychee is surrounded by mountains and thus forms a basin. This topography is responsible for the long and dry winter that is characteristic to the area, with an average temperature of 15.2 degrees Celsius in February, when the local temperature drops to its lowest. This cold temperature in winter provides favorable conditions for the blooming and fruiting of Luc Ngan Lychee.
　The area also has precipitation that is suitable for the stages and period of lychee growth. Another characteristic of the local climate is that from March through June of the following year, during which the fruits develop, the total daylight hours become longer than in other Thieu lychee producing areas.
　Luc Ngan Lychee is planted densely in soil with a lot of pebbles in hilly areas. The hilly topography provides limited groundwater capacity, which helps sweeten the lychee fruits.
　Luc Ngan Lychee has been commercially cultivated by the local producers since 1960 until the present days consistently using the post-harvest branch pruning technique.
　Luc Ngan Lychee is widely sold across Vietnam and also exported to many countries including China, the United States, Russia, the European Union member states and Japan. The exports of whole frozen Luc Ngan Lychee to Japan in recent years are at 5 to 6 tons per year, and fresh lychee are also on the Japanese market.