China's 'Lychee Capital' Maoming posts record exports despite off-year

(ECNS) -- Maoming in south China's Guangdong Province, known as the country's "lychee capital," has concluded this year's fresh lychee export season, with the final shipment cleared by customs and sent to the United States on Wednesday, according to Maoming Customs.

Despite this year being a lower-yield year in the lychee production cycle, Maoming exported 8,450 metric tons of fresh lychees worth 177 million yuan ($24.7 million), up 3.3% and 52.6% year on year, respectively. Both export volume and value reached record highs.

Maoming is China's largest lychee-producing region and has a history of lychee cultivation spanning more than 2,000 years. The city has about 1.45 million mu (96,667 hectares) of lychee orchards and has developed a large-scale, industrialized and diversified lychee industry.

Fresh lychees from Maoming are exported to countries including the United States, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Belarus and the United Arab Emirates.