Haikou's volcanic lychees drive record sales, global demand

Lychees grown in the volcanic soil of Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, are erupting in popularity as harvest season kicks off following Lixia, the Beginning of Summer in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Haikou's early-ripening lychees are prized for their sweet, slightly tart flavor and have become a hit on e-commerce platforms, drawing buyers from across China.

Photo shows lychees grown in a volcanic region of Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo/Yao Miaojuan)

With a supply chain that delivers fruit from tree to table in just 36 hours, Haikou's lychees have won over consumers across China and are now exported to markets including the United Arab Emirates and Russia.

Lychee cultivation in Haikou traces back more than 2,000 years in the region’s volcanic cluster. In June 2017, Haikou's lychee farming system — known for its wild grafting methods — was recognized as a nationally important agricultural heritage systems site in China.

Photo shows a lychee planting base in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Meng Fansheng)

Lychees are a key ingredient in many Haikou delicacies, including chilled lychees dipped in saltwater, lychee-infused chicken soup, lychee puffs and smoothies. The lychee industry has expanded into deep processing, creating new products such as lychee tea drinks, fragrances, dried lychees, honey and lychee-flavored beer.

The region’s tourism sector is also capitalizing on the lychee boom. In ancient villages within the volcanic area, workshops introduce visitors to the fruit’s history, while summer lychee markets and fun runs through flower fields are drawing increasing numbers of tourists.

Photo shows a lychee tree in a volcanic region of Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo/Yao Miaojuan)

Lychee production in Haikou is projected to reach 87,900 tonnes in 2025, with total sales expected to exceed 1.6 billion yuan ($223 million).

On the first day of the harvest season, sales contracts had already surpassed 220 million yuan, and pre-orders nationwide reached 411 million yuan. As more varieties enter the market, bulk purchases and online orders continue to rise.

Photo shows lychees grown in a volcanic region of Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo/Wu Meiyi)