Another Chinese product is going crazy overseas.

Source | Phoenix.com's "Eye of the Storm"

This summer, Chinese lychees have sparked a sweet craze in overseas markets.

On social platforms, the crystal - clear lychee pulp glistens like pearls under the camera. Coupled with close - up shots of bloggers "popping" open the lychee shells and the juice splashing everywhere, it instantly whets the appetites of countless foreign netizens.

Some people who have never tasted lychees are attracted by their crystal - clear pulp and can't help exclaiming, "They look so delicious."

Some people find the process of peeling lychee shells very interesting.

Others curiously inquire about what other fruits lychees taste like.

01 Chinese Lychees Are a Hit Overseas

"Eating three hundred lychees a day, I'd gladly be a southerner all my way."

Su Dongpo's sweet - sounding poem has been advertising lychees for a thousand years, making many people drool over the words.

However, achieving "lychee freedom" is no longer a hassle. You don't have to settle in Lingnan. People in many parts of the world can now taste Chinese lychees.

That's because Chinese lychees are selling like hotcakes overseas.

Market feedback shows that the international market's demand for Chinese lychees is particularly strong this year.

"Last year, overseas customers generally waited until the price dropped to 8 or 9 yuan per catty to place orders. But this year, they're willing to pay over 10 yuan, even nearly 20 yuan per catty. The international market demand is high," a trader told the media.

This craze has kept domestic growers busy. Around 5 a.m., some lychee orchards in Maoming, Guangdong, are already bustling with activity. Farmers are picking lychees in the early morning light. If they pick the lychees too late, the fruits will lose their freshness and juiciness after being exposed to the sun.

These lychees can reach the shelves of overseas supermarkets in as fast as two days.

In a supermarket in Dubai, UAE, about 800 kilograms of lychees can be sold out within two days.

The selling price of lychees overseas is quite impressive. A 1.5 - kilogram box of Baotangying lychees is sold for 99 UAE dirhams, approximately equivalent to 194 yuan. That means the price per kilogram is around 132 yuan, which can buy about 2.5 kilograms of lychees in China.

However, this is just the "tip of the iceberg" of Chinese lychees going global.

In recent years, the annual export volume of Guangdong lychees alone has exceeded 8,000 tons. Varieties like Feizixiao, Baotangying, Heiye, and Guiwei have already won countless fans overseas and are exported to countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, the United States, and Australia.

02 Not Only Well - Packaged but Also a Real Powerhouse

The lychees that once made "a beauty smile at the sight of a galloping horse" are now staging a real - life "fruit comeback" overseas.

This red fruit from the East has successfully become a top - tier fruit in overseas markets through a series of "smart moves," pushing aside established fruit aristocrats like cherries.

The market positioning alone shows great ingenuity, emphasizing an "oriental mystery and nobility."

In Dubai, during the peak consumption season of Ramadan, exporters have adopted a high - end strategy of "limited - edition release + exquisite packaging" and paired it with stories of noble consumption. This has instantly captured the hearts of the wealthy, making lychees their new favorite.

Of course, the popularity of Chinese lychees is not just due to "packaging." They are truly a powerhouse.

Lychees from Hainan grow "wildly" in a warm and humid climate and fertile soil. One bite will give you a crisp and sweet taste.

Maoming, Guangdong, is a major lychee - producing area. One out of every five lychees in the world comes from here. With over 300 varieties available throughout the spring and summer, they can meet the diverse taste preferences of foreigners.

In the TV series "The Lychees of Chang'an," the protagonist Li Shande said that lychees are extremely perishable. It is said that their color changes in one day, their aroma fades in two days, and their taste deteriorates in three days.

However, the once - troublesome problem of preservation and transportation has now been easily solved by cutting - edge technology.

The precise temperature and humidity control refrigeration technology developed by the research team of Maoming Polytechnic College has extended the fresh - keeping period of varieties such as Guiwei, Feizixiao, and Baotangying to about 25 days. After being taken out of the cold storage, they can still be kept at room temperature for more than 48 hours, with almost the same color and taste as when they were just picked. They remain fresh even after cold - chain transportation and subsequent storage in the cold room.

Customs Offices Across the Country Have Become "Escorts for Lychees Going Global."

The Maoming Customs has helped orchards and processing plants quickly obtain export qualifications and opened a "green channel," increasing the customs clearance efficiency by over 20%.

The Foshan Customs has set up an "express lane" for fresh agricultural products. Even on weekends and holidays, enterprises can make customs clearance appointments through the "Single Window" of international trade, truly ensuring that "lychees can go global around the clock."

However, the overseas journey of lychees is not all smooth sailing. There is also fierce external competition, with countries like Thailand and Vietnam eyeing the market. There are also a series of "obstacles" such as grading standards, transportation difficulties, and variety protection.

But as long as enterprises maintain high - quality standards and the government provides more support in terms of technology and policies, these little lychees will surely transform from a "web - famous hit" into a long - lasting international favorite. In the future, we believe that more "Chinese flavors" will go global and make the world fall in love with Chinese agricultural products!

The "2025 China Enterprises Going Global Summit Forum" hosted by Phoenix.com will be held in Shenzhen from June 28th to 29th. The forum, themed "A More Open World, More Win - win Opportunities," will bring together economic and trade representatives from over 30 countries, more than 50 leading enterprises in the industry, and over a hundred policy - makers. It will focus on policy analysis, industrial practice, and regional cooperation. The forum will also establish the "Global Council for Chinese Enterprises Going Global" to build a cooperation platform for the government, enterprises, academia, and the media, helping enterprises understand the logic of globalization and seize opportunities.

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This article is from the WeChat official account "Phoenix Finance". Author: Eye of the Storm. Republished with permission.