Guangdong Maoming is China's largest lychee production base, accounting for approximately one-quarter of the national output. Currently, the early-ripening lychee varieties in Maoming have begun to mature and are gradually entering the harvesting period. How are the lychees growing there this year?
In a Maoming lychee orchard, farmers have been busy since 6 a.m., continuing their work diligently. Vast stretches of lychee trees are laden with fruit, clusters of lychees transitioning from green to red, weighing down the branches. The farmers skillfully select the fully reddened fruits, clipping them gently, quickly filling basket after basket.
The early-ripening variety being harvested today, 'Baitangying', typically matures in mid-May and is now entering its peak market season. Its fruit shape is relatively round and plump, of moderate size, with a light red, smooth, and full skin. Gently peeling one open reveals crystal-clear, translucent flesh with a fresh, sweet aroma. A bite offers abundant juice, a crisp and refreshing texture, sweet but not cloying. Another common variety ripening around the same time is 'Feizixiao', characterized by its mottled green and red skin which is slightly rougher to the touch. Due to their early market entry, these lychees are highly sought after as the "first taste of freshness."
Local agricultural authorities indicate that compared to last year's national lychee "bumper year," this year's overall yield may see a slight adjustment. However, Maoming's early-ripening varieties are performing relatively stably, with fruit-setting rates for main varieties like 'Baitangying' and 'Feizixiao' generally above 70%. The favorable fruit set is attributed partly to suitable climatic conditions and partly to the modernized management practices implemented locally.
The lychee trees are mostly around 2 meters tall, a result of dwarfing modifications. Shorter trees make fertilization, pruning, and harvesting much less labor-intensive, significantly improving efficiency. Furthermore, dwarfing promotes better nutrient absorption for the trees, leading to higher fruit quality and more stable yields. It is understood that since 2010, the region has progressively promoted the transformation of low-yield lychee groves. Upgrades for large orchard areas have been completed through methods like dwarfing and grafting superior varieties. This intensive, scientific management not only enhances quality but also helps the lychee industry better cope with yield fluctuations between "on" and "off" years.
To ensure consumers get fresher lychees, drones are being used within orchards for transport operations. Using drones, freshly picked lychees can be transported to external sorting areas in less than a minute, a significant speed improvement over traditional methods. This is particularly beneficial in mountainous orchards with complex terrain, where drones can directly transport lychees from hilltops to cold chain centers at the base along designated routes. This method is being gradually promoted locally, showcasing the new possibilities "low-altitude economy" brings to agriculture.
After leaving the orchard, lychees require rapid cooling to preserve their fresh taste. Currently, the area has established over 100 "field-side stations" and cold chain logistics facilities. A single "field-side station" can store up to 40,000 jin (approx. 20 metric tons) of lychees, covering surrounding orchards of about 1,000 mu (approx. 67 hectares). Lychees can undergo pre-cooling treatment within 2 hours of harvest, reducing field picking loss rates by 15% and extending the fresh-keeping period by 7 days.
In Maoming, lychees are not only sold briskly as fresh fruit; the industry chain is also continuously extending. Beyond traditional fresh fruit sales, Maoming has now developed a series of deep-processed products including dried lychees, canned lychees, and lychee beverages. These products not only extend the lychee sales cycle but also significantly increase added value, truly realizing the transformation from a "seasonal fresh fruit" to a "year-round industry."
Maoming lychees are achieving "acceleration" from efficient harvesting to cold chain express delivery. At the front end of the supply chain, an "order"-driven transformation is underway. This year, Guangdong Maoming is vigorously promoting a new "Lychee Customization" production and sales model across its main lychee-producing areas. This model brings consumers into the orchards in advance and secures orders on the branches ahead of time, stabilizing expectations and promoting increased income for fruit growers, while driving the lychee industry towards deeper standardization and branding.
In the vast ten-thousand-mu lychee orchards of Genzi Town, Gaozhou City, Maoming, customized adoption plaques hanging among the branches are particularly eye-catching. These plaques not only display the adopter's information but also feature a unique QR code. It is reported that many lychee trees this year already had "owners" secured in advance during their flowering and fruit-setting stages. From enjoying the blossoms in spring to harvesting the fruit in summer, consumers participate not just in a purchase but in the full experiential journey of lychee maturation.
Maoming has been actively promoting its "Lychee Customization" service for seven consecutive years. Consumers can choose to reserve an entire tree or a specific quantity of lychees through online mini-programs, a unified service hotline, or offline events. Locking in the harvest of a tree or a set quantity of lychees in advance fundamentally changes the traditional path of "finding the market after ripening."
The smooth operation of the "Lychee Customization" model is supported by a service system collaboratively built by government departments, e-commerce platforms, and logistics companies. As the scale of customization grows, services have expanded from sales to include growth updates, harvest reception, and logistics distribution. Through services like short video updates, appointment-based picking, and one-stop delivery, the local area keeps consumers continuously informed about the growth of their adopted trees.
According to Bao Weixia, Deputy Section Chief of the Planting Industry Management Division of the Maoming Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, since the start of this production season, nearly 20,000 lychee trees across Maoming have been pre-booked. Direct feedback from the consumer end is propelling Maoming lychees to transform from a bulk agricultural product into a premium agricultural brand with standards and traceability.
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