Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province, has set its sights on a 200% surge in lychee exports by 2025, targeting 5,000 tons of shipments through technological advancements, according to the city's Science and Technology Bureau.
Post-harvest innovations address the rapid browning issue. Field-deployable ultra-rapid cooling units reduce fruit core temperatures from 35°C to 5°C within an hour, six times faster than conventional methods.
Currently, lychee enterprises in Guangzhou have established 12 mobile pre-cooling stations and 8 controlled-atmosphere cold chain nodes in Conghua and Zengcheng districts, creating a quality assurance network that spans from branch to globe.
This initiative has dramatically reduced lychee spoilage rates from 25% to less than 8%, ensuring that more fresh, high-quality lychees reach consumers worldwide while maintaining their exquisite flavor and texture.
Meanwhile, sulfur-free preservation technology allows lychees to endure a 40-day sea freight journey while preserving quality.
New cultivars developed by Hu Guibing's team at South China Agricultural University are reshaping market rhythms. The early-season "Qingfeng" variety enters markets in early June with a 30% improved storage capability, while the record-breaking "Chimeiren" (58.2g per fruit) fills the July gap.
These varieties, cultivated across about 66.7 hectares in Conghua and Zengcheng, have boosted farmer income by 30% through staggered releases.
Processing advancements now provide year-round lychee availability through cryogenic "deep sleep" technology.
By optimizing coolant carrier formulations and heat transfer processes, the system achieves a 30% increase in cold storage capacity, a 10% improvement in thermal conductivity, and maintains 80-90% of fresh lychee's flavor and nutritional value post-thawing, with an extended shelf life of up to 12 months.
Shared factories in Conghua and Gaozhou now have the capacity to process 2,000 tons for deep-sleep frozen lychee and 3,000 tons for quick-frozen raw materials.
Currently, the research team has extended the industrial chain to develop over 10 types of high-value-added products, including lychee freeze-dried powder and cosmetic ingredients, driving value chain appreciation exceeding 500 million yuan in the processing sector.
Reporter | Chen Jinxia
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
