Recently, in addition to the “Lychee King” variety, the “Feizi Xiao” lychees from Hainan province have dropped to less than 20 yuan per catty, about 40% cheaper than a month ago when they hit the market at 70 yuan per catty. It is anticipated that by mid-June, the prices of lychees will further decrease.
According to a report from Chengdu Business Daily on May 30th, at the Mongyang Fruit Wholesale Market in Pengzhou, Chengdu, wholesaler Mr. Liu said that a 10-catty pack of “Feizi Xiao” lychees is now priced at 99 yuan. Currently in Chengdu, the main lychee varieties available are “Feizi Xiao” and “Baitang Ling,” both priced at around 10 yuan per catty in wholesale.
“From 8 catties to 10 catties, still top-quality goods, but it’s still a day of losing money,” Mr. Liu said.
The prices of lychees in fruit shops in Qingyang District and Jinniu District in Chengdu have significantly decreased compared to when they were first introduced. The highest price for “Feizi Xiao” lychees is 18 yuan per catty, while the lowest is 11.8 yuan per catty; the average price for “Baitang Ling” lychees is about 18 yuan per catty.
However, despite the continuous price drop of the two main varieties, “Feizi Xiao” and “Baitang Ling,” the “Lychee King” remains as expensive as in previous years. A resident of Chengdu, Ms. Guo, purchased a box of “Lychee King” weighing approximately 1.264 catties for 95.94 yuan, about 75.9 yuan per catty, at a fruit shop in Jinniu District.
According to the merchants, the high price of “Lychee King” is due to low production, rarity, and its large size, making it more suitable for gifting. Wholesaler Mr. Liu mentioned that the wholesale price of “Lychee King” is around 30 yuan per catty, significantly higher than other varieties.
Multiple media outlets in mainland China have reported that the price of lychees has sharply decreased, from over 70 yuan per catty at the beginning of May to a single-digit figure.
A report from Shangguan News on May 29th indicated that recently visited fruit shops in downtown Hangzhou revealed that “Feizi Xiao” lychees have dropped to less than 20 yuan per catty, a 40% decrease from a month ago.
In one fruit shop, boxes of lychees were prominently displayed on the shelves. A staff member said, “These are ‘Feizi Xiao’ lychees from Hainan, priced at 35 yuan for two catties for members.”
At another fruit wholesale store, “Baitang Ling” lychees were priced at 68 yuan to 58 yuan per box (with a total of eight catties in a box), while “Feizi Xiao” lychees were priced as low as 9.8 yuan per catty.
The report mentioned that with the recent rise in temperature, there has been a large influx of “Feizi Xiao” lychees from Hainan into the market, leading to a decrease in lychee prices. Compared to last month’s “Guifang Xiang” lychees, “Feizi Xiao” lychees have smaller pits and better taste.
Why are lychees becoming more affordable?
Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Fujian are the main lychee-producing regions in China. In April this year, Guangdong experienced heavy rainfall, leading to a significant decrease in lychee production. Several merchants have stated that due to the low production caused by the weather, the prices of newly released lychees were slightly higher than the same period in previous years.
However, with Hainan having approximately 340,000 mu of lychee cultivation area and an annual output of around 200,000 tons, the main variety, “Feizi Xiao,” has not experienced a substantial decrease in production this year. The recent decrease in lychee prices is due to the large influx of “Feizi Xiao” from Hainan into the market, along with lychees from Sichuan, Yunnan, and other regions gradually ripening.
The report suggests that there may be a further small decline in prices by mid-June.