This summer, restaurants in Frankfurt, Germany, are enjoying a special sweetness from China. A batch of lychees from Maoming, Guangdong, has arrived in Frankfurt by air, where they complement waxberries from Wencheng, Zhejiang.
Maoming lychees arrive in Frankfurt, Germany.
At the end of June, Wencheng waxberries were shipped to Frankfurt via cold-chain air transport. They impressed all guests at the CEO dinner of the 2nd Sino-European Corporate ESG Best Practice Conference in Stuttgart, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for Chinese fruits.
Upon learning the news from the Chinese Consulate General in Frankfurt, the Maoming Association for Science and Technology immediately collaborated with relevant departments to organize the shipping of Maoming lychees to Frankfurt. Ultimately, it took only three days to arrange for the delivery of fresh lychees to dining tables in Frankfurt within 48 hours.
Maoming lychees arrive in Frankfurt, Germany.
The lychees, of the Xianjinfeng variety, were organized and shipped by Guangdong Zefengyuan Agricultural Products Co., Ltd. As a provincial demonstration base for agricultural exports, the company can process and export over 1,500 tons of lychees annually to Canada, Australia, the United States, Southeast Asia, and beyond. "The breeding and promotion of high-value varieties like Bingli and Xianjinfeng have brought more benefits to lychee farmers and enterprises," said Lin Bo, general manager of Zefengyuan. With ongoing technological support, the company's lychee exports have grown by 30% to 40% year-on-year.
The Maoming lychees shipped to Frankfurt, Germany are of the Xianjinfeng variety.
Exporting fresh fruits is a "race against time to preserve freshness." In addition to the green channels provided by Maoming Customs, technology plays a crucial role in the export of Maoming lychees.
Breakthroughs in preservation technology are now widely applied throughout Maoming's lychee industry chain: pre-cooling at on-site cold-chain stations, nano-film packaging, cryopreservation, and probiotic-based preservation, among other emerging technologies and measures. A modern preservation system encompassing pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest processes has been established, extending the freshness of lychees to over 30 days on average.
"The encounter of Maoming lychees and Wencheng waxberries in Frankfurt marks a significant effort in internationalizing specialty agricultural products," said Yang Xi, Party Secretary of the Maoming Association for Science and Technology. He believes that Maoming can enhance bilateral cooperation with Frankfurt by strengthening technological and trade exchanges, along with further industrial collaboration.
Maoming has a long history of trade and cooperation with Germany, particularly in petrochemicals. "This lychee export extends our collaboration from petrochemicals to agriculture and technology, reflecting a shift from traditional industrial ties to diversified industrial partnerships," Yang Xi added.
Reporter: Liu Dongming
Photo: Maoming Association for Science and Technology
Editor: Wei Shen, James, Shen He
