China
In 1997 the cultivated area of longan was 432,400 ha with a production of 232,000 metric tons (Liu and Ma, 2000). Major provinces growing longan are Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Sichuan, Yunnan and Hainan (Table 14). The first three provinces accounted for about 97 percent of the total planted area.
Table 14. Planted area and production of longan in China (1997)
|
Province |
Area(ha) |
Production (metric tonnes) |
|
Guangxi |
210,100 |
133,300 |
|
Guangdong |
119,600 |
124,700 |
|
Fujian |
90,300 |
104,800 |
|
Sichuan |
1,900 |
600 |
|
Yunnan |
1,500 |
1,000 |
|
Hainan |
9,000 |
900 |
Source: Liu and Ma (2000).A large increase in area under longan cultivation during the period 1987 to 1997 was recorded in the three main longan growing provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong and Fujian (Table 15).
Table 15. Increase in planted area of longan in the main longan growing provinces in China
|
Year |
Province |
|||||
|
Guangxi |
Guanedong |
Fujian |
||||
|
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
|
|
1987 |
9,200 |
22,400 |
8,700 |
21,800 |
22,600 |
37,300 |
|
1989 |
16,900 |
23,400 |
15,300 |
26,900 |
25,700 |
43,700 |
|
1991 |
27,300 |
25,200 |
23,600 |
32,200 |
40,600 |
63,300 |
|
1993 |
49,000 |
36,800 |
29,400 |
42,000 |
53,100 |
54,300 |
|
1995 |
121,300 |
118,600 |
75,700 |
76,000 |
66,400 |
86,400 |
|
1997 |
210,100 |
133,300 |
119,600 |
124,700 |
90,300 |
104,800 |
Source: Liu and Ma (2000).There are over 400 cultivars of longan in China (Liu and Ma, 2000). Among these cultivars 14 percent are early-maturing, 68 percent are mid-maturing, and 18 percent are late-maturing. Common cultivars and their characteristics are described in Appendix 1.
Thailand
The production of longan in 1998 was about 238,000 metric tons with a planted area of 411,504 ha (Subhadrabandhu and Yapwattanaphun, 2000a). There was an annual increase in planted area from 1989 - 1998 (Table 16) attributed to the prospect of exporting the fruits. Although there was an annual increase in planted area, the production has not increased at the same pace as the planted area. Such a scenario is attributed to the sensitivity of longan to the changing climatic conditions from year to year. Variable field management has also accounted for the varying production in different years.
Table 16. Planted area and production of longan in Thailand
|
Year |
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
|
1989 |
17,757 |
44,661 |
|
1990 |
19,922 |
145,869 |
|
1991 |
21,770 |
81,842 |
|
1992 |
23,635 |
145,047 |
|
1993 |
27,480 |
92,742 |
|
1994 |
30,789 |
193,079 |
|
1995 |
34,715 |
143,592 |
|
1996 |
38,303 |
236,428 |
|
1997 |
41,434 |
227,979 |
|
1998 |
41,504 |
238,000 |
Source: Subhadrabandhu and Yapwattanaphun (2000a).Longan production in Thailand is confined mainly to the northern provinces of Lamphun, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai where the planted area makes up 37.6, 24.1 and 8.0 percent of the total planted area, respectively (Table 17). Though longan cultivation has extended to the eastern and central regions of the country, they constitute only a small percentage of total production.
Table 17. Planted area and production of longan in the major growing provinces of Thailand (1993 data)
|
Province |
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
|
Lamphun |
11,008 |
44,031 |
|
Chiang Mai |
6,436 |
40,932 |
|
Chiang Rai |
2,252 |
11,700 |
|
Nan |
1,12.9 |
9,486 |
|
Phra Yao |
922 |
4,161 |
|
Lampang |
849 |
5,340 |
|
Phrae |
830 |
2,498 |
|
Chanthaburi |
563 |
1,478 |
Source: Subhadrabandhu and Yapwattanaphun (2000a).The longan industry in Thailand is based on seedlings developed from cultivars which were brought in from Southern China. In 1896 a Chinese trader brought five marcotted longan trees from China which were presented to Queen Saopvabhapongsri, Consort of King Rama V. These trees were planted in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It is believed that these trees were the source of the present longan cultivars in Thailand (Subhadrabandhu and Yapwattanaphun, 2000a). The present Thai cultivars are generally considered to be more superior in fruit quality to the Chinese cultivars. Common cultivars and their characteristics are described in Appendix 1.
Taiwan Province of China
Longan production areas are concentrated in central and southern Taiwan Province of China. The area planted and the production from 1994 to 1998 are shown in Table 18. There is minimal or no increase in planted area for the period shown and the production pattern is evidence of the alternate bearing phenomenon.
Table 18. Planted area and production of longan in Taiwan Province of China
|
Year |
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
|
1994 |
12,142 |
109,460 |
|
1995 |
12,192 |
151,388 |
|
1996 |
12,168 |
53,215 |
|
1997 |
12.015 |
130,495 |
|
1998 |
11,808 |
53,385 |
Source: Yen (2000).Taiwan Province of China's longan cultivars originated from mainland China. There are over 52 longan cultivars existing in the country. However, over 98 percent of the longan area are planted with the cultivar 'Fengko'. This is followed by the cultivars 'Hongko' and 'Chingko'. A great variation exists in fruit weight (5.2 - 18.2 g), TSS (10.3 -26.0 percent), seed weight (0.5 - 2.5 g), and aril recovery percentage (50.0 - 70.8 percent) among 52 longan cultivars grown at different locations and years of production (Yen and Chang, 1991). Most cultivars flower from March to early April and harvesting of fruits is from August to early September. Common cultivars and their characteristics are described in Appendix 1.
Vietnam
Longan production in Vietnam is concentrated mainly along the Mekong delta, the northern region and the southeast region. Among these longan areas, the Mekong delta accounted for 70 - 80 percent of the total planted area (Table 19). There was an increase in the longan planted area from 1998 to 1999. Common cultivars and their characteristics are described in Appendix 1.
Table 19. Planted area and production of longan in Vietnam
|
Year |
Region |
|||||
|
Mekong delta |
Northern region |
Southeast region |
||||
|
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
Area (ha) |
Production (metric ton) |
|
|
1998 |
28,600 |
270,000 |
4,000 |
40,000 |
1,314 |
10,000 |
|
1999 |
30,030 |
280,000 |
5,000 |
50,000 |
6,570 |
35,000 |
Source: Nguyen (2000).
