Australia
Dr. Christopher M. Menzel informed the participants that lychee has been grown in Australia for about 100 years, although commercial production expanded only in the late 1970’s. Total production in 1999 was 3,500 tonnes, worth AU$15 million. Returns for lychee on a per hectare basis can be quite high and more than match those for other fruit crops, but under some circumstances they can be disappointing. Yield per tree, plant spacing and price per kg are the main factors affecting gross returns. Average yields for ten-year-old trees can be as high as 50 kg per tree, but can be as low as 10 kg for some cultivars in some locations. Yields are greatest with Kwai May Pink on the Atherton Tableland in north Queensland and in coastal districts in southern Queensland.
Profitable growing starts with the identification of a market opportunity for the product either internationally or locally. The site and cultivar determine the time of production, while there are large seasonal fluctuations in price. There are also important agronomic decisions associated with site selection. The site should be frost-free and yet have a dependable period of cool weather to induce flowering. There should be a reliable supply of good quality water and suitable soil. The slope of the land should allow safe use of vehicles for tree maintenance and harvesting. Selection of regular heavy-yielding cultivars with good quality fruit is essential. In establishing orchards, closer planting to produce high early returns should be considered, but sufficient space for access should be maintained.
Planning for netting of trees when production commences should be considered. Fruit piercing moths, bats and birds can regularly destroy 60 percent of unprotected crops. Lychees have a range of serious pests that must be controlled, and they require regular fertilizer applications. However, these do not appear to be major costs. All cultivars have a short production season and short shelf-life so that efficiency in picking, in the pack-house, and in the cool-room is essential. Marketing decisions will determine the success and failure of the enterprise. Marketing groups established in the different growing areas have generally improved returns to growers, but their full potential will only be reached with the development of better post-harvest technology.
The Australian industry has the objective of producing 1 percent of the world’s lychees by 2010. With total world production at about 1 million tonnes, this represents a crop of about 10,000 tonnes, nearly three times the present production. Australia has many advantages in growing and marketing lychees. Production and post-harvest technology is reasonably advanced, while many growers have a business background bringing with them new skills, innovation and off-farm income. The production season is long, stretching from October in northern districts to March in southern areas, while the main cultivar, Kwai May Pink is well respected in domestic and export markets.
The industry has a long history of grade standards, quality assurance and cooperative marketing, with a strong commitment to exporting. Australia has a number of real advantages when competing with Madagascar, South Africa and Reunion. Whereas most fruit exported from these Southern Hemisphere competitors is chemically treated, Australian fruit do not receive any post-harvest sprays or dips. Australia is near to the expanding Asian market where it can supply fruit out-of-season. The close association between industry and research providers also offers a competitive advantage to Australian growers.
While the returns for lychee can be very lucrative, there are risks associated with its production and marketing. Many orchards are inherently low yielding due to the cultivar selected or the location of the planting. Even in an ideal location, there can be problems with flowering or fruit set and pests. Harvesting and packing are very labour intensive and costly. The fruits are susceptible to browning and rotting, and thus have a relatively short shelf-life when stored and transported under existing technology. This creates problems in both domestic and export markets, even for growers committed to grade and quality standards.
Opportunities for increasing production include new cultivars and better methods of orchard management and pest control. There will also need to be improvements in the post-harvest treatment and marketing of the crop. These developments are more likely to succeed if the industry remains united in its vision for the future. Growers also need to consider options for research and development, information transfer, and industry organization.
Bangladesh
Dr. S.B.M. Abu Baker Siddiqui said that lychee is a delicious and highly priced fruit and has a great demand among all sections of people in Bangladesh. The period of availability of lychee is only about 60 days. The agro-ecological conditions of Bangladesh are conducive for the production of high quality lychee but the area and production of lychee is modest in comparison to other major fruits. A good number of varieties of lychee are cultivated in the country but only 2-3 varieties are of good quality and are cultivated in a very limited area.
Lychee is mainly propagated by air-layering. Government horticulture centres, where good mother trees are maintained, are the main sources of lychee planting material. However, the quality of planting material is not consistent mainly due to inadequate knowledge and skill of the nurserymen.
Establishment of young plants in the field is one of the major problems in Bangladesh and mortality rate is quite high. To obtain regular good yields proper care and management including irrigation, manuring and fertilization, pruning, and mulching are considered essential.
The average national yield of lychee is 2.5 tonnes per hectare, but yields of well maintained lychee orchards of the best varieties are more than double the national average, indicating the potentiality. The scope for expansion of lychee in Bangladesh is bright and the present area can easily be doubled. The soil and climate are suitable, production areas are concentrated, the transportation network is comparatively good, and there is a big domestic market for lychee.
The slow expansion of the lychee growing area and poor yields are due to the availability of only a few good varieties, difficulties in establishing the orchards, insufficient supply of high quality planting material, poor management practices, and inadequate knowledge and skill of the farmers. However, by providing training to the farmers, nurserymen and extension people; introducing a few more early- and late-season varieties; and supplying good quality planting materials, the present production scenario will definitely change. Post-harvest treatment and proper storage will help in extending the shelf-life of lychee and thus enhance the period of availability of marketable fruits in the domestic market.
China
Dr. Xuming Huang stated that lychee is native to southern China. Recorded cultivation of this fruit in the country dates back to more than 2,100 years ago. Throughout the long history of lychee production, the Chinese farmers have selected and bred hundreds of cultivars and accumulated rich experience in cultivation. The area under lychee and the total production of the fruit in China increased very slowly before 1980, when lychee was cultivated by farmers on a small-scale as a sideline for self-consumption and the local market. Since the 1980’s, lychee production has increased dramatically as China tries to shift from a planned economy to a market economy. Up to 1999, the cultivated area under lychee in China has exceeded 592,000 hectares including the 11,961 hectares in Taiwan. The highest recorded lychee production in China was obtained in 1999, with a total output of over 1.37 million tonnes including 108,668 tonnes produced in Taiwan. The production of lychee is expected to further increase as more and more recently established orchards start to produce fruit.
The major lychee production regions within China are Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan and Hainan, and the minor production regions include Sichuan, Yunan and Guizhou. About 20 cultivars among the more than 200 recorded ones are commercially cultivated in China. Important early-season cultivars include ‘Sanyuehong’, ‘Baila’, ‘Shuidong’, ‘Dazao’, ‘Heiye’ and ‘Feizixiao’, while the mid- and late-season cultivars include ‘Guiwei’, ‘Nuomici’, ‘Huazhi’, ‘Chenzhi’, ‘Lanzhu’, and ‘Yuanhong’.
Most of the lychee orchards in China are established on sloping lands. There are farmers who establish their lychee orchards on hillsides with a slope higher than 20°. In order to prevent soil erosion caused by the frequent rainfall of southern China, the hillsides are made into terraces with anti-flood ditch systems. Planting materials of lychee are produced by air-layering and more often by grafting and budding. Grafting and budding are usually done in late spring or early autumn to avoid hot, chilly or rainy weather, while planting is usually done in the warm and humid spring. Most lychee farmers prefer to plant at a higher density (2.5-3m×3.5-4m) initially and thin the plants to a permanent spacing (6m×6m or 300 trees/hectare) as the tree crowns expand and overlap. Fertilization for non-bearing young trees follows the principle of ‘slight but frequent’ to encourage the development of each flush and thus fast canopy expansion. Usually two growths of autumn flushes are encouraged to develop into the fruiting branches for the coming year. Late autumn flushes and winter flushes are negative to flower differentiation, and farmers use chemical and physical means to suppress growth. Mulching and forage covers in the orchard are highly recommended.
Major diseases and pests in lychee include downy mildew, anthracnose, lychee stink bugs, lychee stem-end borer and lychee mite. Apart from chemical control, lychee farmers carry out orchard cleaning during the dry season in order to reduce the sources of pests and diseases. Fruit bagging has proved to be very effective in keeping the fruit from pest infestation and disease infection, and is becoming more and more popular among farmers in spite of the fact that it is labour consuming. Fruit cracking is a major problem in some lychee cultivars and more effective control measures are required.
The harvesting season of lychee in China is concentrated within one and a half months, from late-May to early-July. The fruit produced by smallholders is either sold at local markets or purchased by small dealers who later sell the fruit to consumers in wholesale markets or in supermarkets, or to other retail dealers. Many of the corporations who run large lychee orchards have post-harvest handling facilities, transportation means and channels of marketing. An alternative to refrigeration for long distance transportation of lychee is to pack the fruit in plastic bags and put the bags in heat-proof foam boxes, adding ice blocks to about 1/3 in volume of the fruit. However, this works for no more than 2 days.
Local government plays an important role in facilitating fruit marketing. There is still a large domestic market potential in the northern regions as well as a large international market potential for the further development of lychee production. However, a number of constraints are presently hampering further development of the lychee industry in China. These include short shelf-life of the fruit, short production season, shortage of efficient marketing systems, unorganized production by farmers, weak financial strength and marketing capability of smallholders, and irregular bearing caused largely by climatic aspects. Joint efforts are being made by the Government, researchers and extension personnel to tackle these constraints.
India
Dr. H.P. Singh reported that lychee was introduced into India through Myanmar during the 18th century. It is an important commercial fruit in some states such Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttranchal and Punjab. However, about 74 percent of the total production is contributed by Bihar. The second largest producing state is West Bengal. Presently, lychee ranks 7th in area, 9th in production and 6th in terms of value among fruit crops in India. The country is the world's second largest producer of lychee after China.
The area under cultivation has increased from 9,400 hectares in 1949-50 to 56,000 hectares in 1998-99, with a total production of 429,000 tonnes. Lychee cultivars grown are highly variable under different agro-climatic conditions. More than 20 cultivars have been described, but only a few are of commercial importance i.e. Shahi, China, Calcuttia, Early Bedana, Late Bedana and Longia. Planting material is provided by both private and Government nurseries. The harvesting period is in May-June, depending upon the cultivar and location. However, in the hills of southern India, lychee is harvested in November-December. Usually 80-150 kg of fruit per tree is obtained from 15-year-old trees. Higher yields (160-200 kg/tree) have also been recorded.
There is potential for an additional 100,000 hectares to be brought under lychee cultivation. However, to achieve this, good planning is required. The proposed National Research Centre for Lychee to address existing problems is a step in the right direction. There is a need for improving productivity and fruit quality. Suitable superior cultivars are needed for various agro-climatic conditions. It is also important to develop promising lines that have larger fruit, small seeds, are tolerant to bark splitting, and have different maturity periods. Crop management practices, post-harvest technology, and marketing issues need due attention.
Indonesia
Dr. M. Winarno said that lychee (Lychee chinensis) is one of the minor fruit crops in Indonesia. It is less popular than the longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour) and rambutan (Nephelium lappaceaum). The cultivated area is very limited, located in three districts in the province of Bali at elevations of 400-700 m. The area has 4-5 dry months, a temperature of 22°-31°C and 80 percent relative humidity. The annual precipitation is around 2,500-3,000 mm.
Lychee is mostly grown in the home gardens and also as a road-side tree. The total number is only about a thousand trees at the age of over 50 years. The trees could have originated from a single mother tree grown in the garden of the Tapaksiring Palace in Bali. There has been no specific crop management carried out by the growers. The spacing is irregular with no irrigation, no fertilizer application, no pruning and no disease and pest control measures. However, the yield is reported to be high at about 200-300 kg per tree.
The lychee is taken fresh to the local markets and hotels in bunched panicles of fruits in bamboo baskets. Constraints in production development include lack of improved varieties, unavailability of quality planting material, short harvest season, year-to-year variation in yield, low quality of fruits, large tree size, destructive root system, and lack of crop management technology. The areas with most potential for lychee development are located in the eastern part of Indonesia.
Nepal
Dr. Kedar Budathoki mentioned that lychee is one of the important fruit crops in Nepal. It is grown in the Terai (Plain), low-hill and mid-hill areas at an altitude ranging from 61 to 950 m above sea level. Nepal has 75 districts and it has been reported that lychee is cultivated in 62 of these. The total area under cultivation is about 2,830 hectares. The total production in 1998/99 was 13,875 tonnes.
The common varieties grown in the Terai and low-hill areas are Mujafpuri, Raja Saheb, Deharaduni, China and Calcuttia. Their fruit matures from mid-May to mid-June. In the mid-hill areas only local selections are grown. Some of the local selections are Pokhara, Udaipur, Tanahu, Chitwan, Kalika and Gorkha. In the past lychee was propagated by seed. However, the current tendency is to raise plants through vegetative propagation (air-layering). Nursery plants are produced by Government horticultural farms/stations as well as by private nurseries.
It appears that lychee is a high-income and very profitable fruit crop in Nepal. In fact, it is considered more profitable than mango and banana. In spite of the inadequate crop management practices, good yields are obtained by commercial growers. The demand in the domestic market is quite strong, but at present local production cannot meet the requirements of the local market. As a result substantial quantities are imported every year. It is estimated that about 60 percent of the consumed lychee fruit is imported from India.
There is a very good potential for lychee development in the country. However, there are no Government plans at present for the development of the lychee industry. Major, limiting factors in lychee development are: a) unavailability of superior cultivars and suitable rootstocks for each agro-ecological zone; b) shortage of high quality planting material; c) poor knowledge of the farmers on appropriate crop management practices to be followed; and d) lack of trained manpower (research and extension personnel) in lychee. A well-thought out programme will be needed to address these limitations.
Philippines
Dr. Rachel C. Sotto reported that lychee or ‘litsiyas’ is one of the promising highland fruits of the country. Its exact date of introduction into the Philippines is unknown. However, in 1916 it was reported that lychee was introduced from China many years earlier. It has a limited area of cultivation and is grown predominantly in the highlands of the Cordillera Autonomous Region, specifically in Benguet and Mountain Province. It is also grown in the cool areas of Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Laguna and Ilocos Sur. Being a very minor fruit crop, no secondary production data is available.
A few private nurseries and Government institutions are involved in the production of marcotted and grafted plants of lychee. Two varieties are grown in the highlands of the Cordillera namely, ‘Sinco’ which is of Chinese origin and ‘Mauritius’ which is a South African introduction. Three other promising selections have also been identified. These are ‘UPLB Red’, ‘Olan’ and an unnamed selection of the Department of Agriculture in Lipa, Batangas. Except for ‘UPLB Red’, which has already been registered under the National Seed Industry Council, the other two selections are still being evaluated under lowland conditions.
Lychee is usually grown in mixed plantings together with other fruit crops like banana, chico, mango and star apple. No elaborate land preparation is practiced except for clearing. Minimal care is also given to the trees. Application of manure and inorganic fertilizers is dependent on the level of resources of the farmers. Irrigation, weeding and mulching are usually not practiced.
There are no serious pests and diseases attacking the lychee in the Philippines. Some pests and diseases which have been reported to infest this crop are leaf miners, beetles, erinose mites, fruit and stem borers, bats and Clitocybe sp.
The harvesting season is from May to August. Fruits are packed and sold immediately after harvesting. Production of lychee in the country averages 10-50 kg/tree, which is below the acceptable yield of 60-70 kg/tree and way below the maximum yields of 125-130 kg/tree which were reportedly obtained in India and Australia. Due to the limited production the country is a net importer of lychee.
Lychee growing in the Philippines has made very little progress since its introduction into the country. One pressing problem is the lack of superior varieties that are adapted to local growing conditions. Unless good varieties that flower and fruit regularly are introduced, fruit growers are not encouraged to plant this crop on a large scale. At present, lychee production is confined only to a few highland provinces. Trial plantings need to be carried out in other cool areas of the country where this crop may be adapted. In addition, varieties suited to tropical lowland conditions need to be introduced for trial planting.
Another constraint to lychee production is the high cost of production inputs including planting materials. The limited production, especially on fertilization, irrigation and flower induction also poses limitations to lychee production. Added to this are weak technology promotion and adoption, limited Government support and lack of adequate irrigation facilities.
In spite of all these constraints, the future still holds bright for lychee production development in the Philippines. Firstly, it has been shown to perform well in certain areas. Secondly, it is an attractive fruit with good consumer acceptance and a substantial local demand. With available highland areas, which may be suited to lychee production and a plan to expand germplasm efforts to increase introduction of cultivars, especially those suited to lowland growing conditions, the Philippines hopes to improve the industry and reduce lychee imports thereby saving on foreign exchange.
Thailand
Dr. Ravie Sethpakdee pointed out that, most likely, lychee was introduced into Thailand in 1782 by Chinese traders and immigrants. However, the first record about lychee in Thailand is dated back to the year 1854. Raised beds or ridges are used for growing lychees in the lowlands of Samut Songkhram and adjacent provinces. Upland plantations are found on sloping areas of Chanthaburi, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and some other provinces. The total area under cultivation in the year 2000 was 22,937 hectares, with a total production of 81,388 tonnes. Chiang Mai (8,322 ha) and Chiang Rai (5,763 ha) are the major lychee producing provinces.
There are two groups of cultivars grown in Thailand. The cultivars of the 1st group are grown in lowland areas of the Central, Eastern and Western regions and they require moderately low temperatures for flowering and fruiting. The most important cultivar of this group is “kom” (dwarf), with a compact canopy. Other cultivars of less importance are Kra-lok, Bai-Yaw, Sampao Kaew, Sa-rack Tong, Jean, Jean Yak, Tai, Tai Yai, Chor Rakum, Kiew Waan, Dang Payom, Kratone Tong Pra-rong, Kra-lok Bai Dum and Pantip. The cultivars of the 2nd group require lower temperatures for their flowering and fruiting and are grown in the north. “Hong Huay” is the most important cultivar of this group, followed by Chakrapad, Kim Cheng, O-Hia, and a few others. Chakrapad usually fetches higher prices due to its larger fruit size.
Air-layering is the only propagation method used in lychee. Planting material is provided by Government and private nurseries. Sunburn, fruit cracking and undeveloped seeds are major physiological disorders. Harvesting of fruit lasts for 3 months, from mid-March to mid-June. The average yield of “kom” and “Hong Huay” cultivars is 4.3-5 tonnes per hectare. Marketing of lychee is in the hands of middlemen and exporters. Thailand exports lychee to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Europe and the USA. In 1999, Hong Kong was the largest importer of fresh lychee (8,644 tonnes), while Malaysia and the USA were the major importers of canned lychee (3,767 and 2,049 tonnes, respectively).
It appears that there are some prospects for further lychee production development. However, this development is hampered by the alternate bearing uncertainty of the crop, the perishability of the fruit and the unorganized marketing. In addition, farmers currently prefer to grow longan instead of lychee, as longan is considered more profitable. High demand of longan from China during the last few years has pushed longan prices higher than those of lychee.
Viet Nam
Dr. Vu Manh Hai explained that north Viet Nam, located close to southern China, could also be considered the place of origin of lychee; in fact, some evidence exists to prove this. Wild lychee trees have been found in some mountains in Tamdao (Phutho province - northern part) and Quangbinh (central part) by French and Vietnamese scientists.
Although many varieties of lychee are now available, only one variety called “vaithieu” is extensively grown for commercial purposes in northern Viet Nam. The total area under lychee cultivation is estimated to be about 30,000 ha. The provinces of Bacgiang, Haiduong, Quangninh, Hatay and Langson are the leading ones for lychee cultivation (20,275 ha, 9,325 ha, 4,925 ha, 604 ha and 223 ha, respectively).
Total production in the year 2000 was approximately 40,000 tonnes, excluding small cultivated areas in other provinces, of which 70-75 percent of the fruit was locally consumed; with the rest being exported to China, Hong Kong, ASEAN and European countries (France, Russia, etc.).
The lack of elite varieties, the short harvesting period (one to one and a half months only), unavailability of high quality planting material, poor crop management practices, inadequate technical know-how of the extension staff and the farmers, and lack of post-harvest technologies involving equipment and facilities needed for fruit preservation and storage are considered to be the main constraints for lychee production in Viet Nam.
In order to improve the situation, it is necessary to cooperate with regional and international institutions concerned to exchange and diversify genetic resources, from which well-adapted superior varieties could be identified/developed; and to get experience in integrated crop management practices.
Generally, production of lychee in Viet Nam has high a potential since the climatic conditions are suitable for lychee growing. In this respect the market demand and proper policy required for lychee development have been studied.
