In the Tang dynasty, a line of poetry captured a longing so vivid it still lingers centuries later: "A galloping horse stirs the dust, the consort smiles. None knows it's the lychees arriving." Back then, to deliver a fresh lychee from Lingnan area to the imperial court took days of relentless travel. Today, Dongguan is transforming that longing into a logistical and agricultural success story, with fresh lychees making it from orchard to overseas tables within 24 hours.
In late May, a batch of just-harvested Feizixiao (妃子笑) lychees from a lychee orchard in Huangjiang Town became the first-ever to be shipped abroad via a direct customer-to-customer (C2C) model. The operation, made possible through tight collaboration between fruit growers and SF Express, marked a milestone in Dongguan's effort to share its signature summer flavor with the world.
Every step of the process was streamlined: from early-morning picking to on-site sorting and packaging, and then onto refrigerated trucks that sped directly to the airport. By the next morning, lychees were in the hands of customers in Singapore, as fresh as if they'd just been picked. "Some will be gifts for friends and clients, especially fellow Cantonese who miss the taste of home," said a local buyer in Singapore.
Due to the short shelf life of fresh lychees, typically no more than 48 hours, timing is everything. SF Express deployed dedicated staff on-site to coordinate customs declarations and streamline clearance procedures. "This is the first time we've achieved personal overseas delivery of lychees," said logistics manager Zhao Xiaochuan. "Previously, it took 2-3 days via bonded transfer. Now, with direct customs clearance at the Shenzhen port, we've matched domestic delivery times for overseas customers."
More varieties such as Guiwei (桂味) and Nuomici (糯米糍) are set to follow, aiming to further expand the global reach of Dongguan-grown fruit.
With its warm, humid climate and perfect latitude, Dongguan has long been known as the "Hometown of Lychees." In fact, it was the first city in Guangdong to earn the title officially in 2001. Today, Dongguan boasts a national-level lychee industry cluster and is home to one of China's Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS).
Across 28 towns and districts, over 157,600 mu (about 10,500 hectares) of lychee orchards are set to yield between 24,000 to 30,000 tonnes this season. Over 90% of the city's orchards grow premium lychees, a figure that outpaces the provincial average by more than 15%.
Four of the top 10 new lychee varieties promoted across Guangdong, Bingli, Guanyin Green, Lingfeng Nuo, and Tangxia Red, were developed right here in Dongguan. From May to late June, each variety takes its turn.
Yet Dongguan's lychee story goes beyond the harvest. Farmers and entrepreneurs are re-imagining the fruit's potential through deep processing and cultural tourism. The once-seasonal delight now lives year-round as lychee-infused coffee, vinegar, wine, sausages, mooncakes, cookies, and freeze-dried snacks. The aroma of lychee drifts from summer into all four seasons.
