REPORT OF THE

EXPERT CONSULTATION ONLYCHEE PRODUCTION

IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

15-17 May 2001Bangkok, Thailand

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONSREGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

BANGKOK, THAILAND, JULY 2001

RAP PUBLICATION: 2001/09

REPORT OF THE

EXPERT CONSULTATION ONLYCHEE PRODUCTION

IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

15-17 May 2001Bangkok, Thailand

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONSREGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

BANGKOK, THAILAND, JULY 2001

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication donot imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the

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© FAO July 2001

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

I. INTRODUCTION 1

II. OPENING OF THE MEETING 1

III. OBJECTIVES AND AGENDA 3

IV. OVERVIEW OF LYCHEE PRODUCTION IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC 4REGION

V. COUNTRY REPORTS 5

VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 12

ANNEXES

ANNEX 1 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 17

ANNEX 2 AGENDA 22

ANNEX 3 PROGRAMME 23

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EXPERT CONSULTATION ON LYCHEEPRODUCTION IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

I. INTRODUCTION

The Expert Consultation on Lychee Production in the Asia-Pacific Region was heldat the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) in Bangkok, Thailand, from 15 to17 May 2001. It was organized and sponsored by FAO/RAP. Experts from Australia,Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam participatedin the Expert Consultation, together with representatives of FAO. The list of participants isgiven in Annex 1.

The Senior Plant Production and Protection Officer, FAO/RAP, presentedIntroductory Remarks in his capacity as the organizer of the consultation. The FAOAssistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok,Thailand, delivered the Welcome Address. The Deputy Regional Representative, FAORegional Office for Asia and the Pacific, was also present during the Opening Session.

II. OPENING OF THE MEETING

Mr. M.K. Papademetriou, Senior Plant Production and Protection Officer, FAO,Bangkok, Thailand, pointed out that lychee is one of the popular fruits in many countries ofthe Region. Production is expanding in several countries but more rapidly in China, VietNam and Australia, where there is strong demand for exotic fruit and fruit with exportpotential. Good progress has been made in lychee development in certain countries of theRegion, while in others the progress is very limited. Opportunities for the furtherdevelopment of the lychee industry appear to be good. However, at the same time there arevarious and serious problems to be addressed. Strengthening cooperation among countries,institutions and individual scientists in lychee development is very important. This forumwill allow us to learn from each other and explore the possibilities of sharing our experiencesfor mutual benefit. It is in this context, that this consultation has been convened.

Dr. R.B. Singh, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative forAsia and the Pacific, welcomed the participants on behalf of the Director-General of FAO,the staff of the Regional Office and on his own behalf. Highlighting the importance of thecrop for many countries of the Region and the need for closer inter-country cooperation, hegreatly appreciated the positive response received from the participants.

He mentioned that the cultivated lychee originated in southern China, and possiblynorthern Viet Nam. Wild trees can still be seen growing in elevated and lowland rainforest,especially in Guangdong and Hainan Island where lychee is one of the main species. Lycheehas a long history in Southeast Asia with unofficial Chinese records going back to about 2000BC. From about 1600 AD, the species was distributed to much of the tropical and sub-tropical

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world, but it is currently not widely grown because it does not flower and crop successfully overa wide range of climates.

The lychee is one of the most environmentally sensitive of the fruit tree crops. It isadapted to the tropics and warm sub-tropics between 13o to 32oN and 6o to 29oS. It grows bestin regions with winters that are short, dry and cool but frost free, and summers that are long andhot (daily maximums above 25oC) with high rainfall (1,200 mm) and high humidity. Goodprotection from wind is essential.

Lychees are cultivated for their very popular fruit and have a long history of acceptancein China and many parts of Southeast Asia. The demand is for large, bright red fruit with smallseeds and crisp, sweet flesh. China, Taiwan Province of China and Thailand have substantialcanning industries. A large proportion of the crop in China was traditionally dried as "driedlychee nuts", and this is the form that many people are familiar with. However, the presentdestination of the crop is 60 percent fresh, 20 percent canned and 20 percent dried. Fruit canalso be processed into pickles, preserves, ice cream, yoghurt, juice and wine.

The food value of lychee lies in its sugar content that ranges from 7 to 21 percent,depending on climate and variety. Fruits also contain about 0.7 percent protein, 0.3 percent fat,0.7 percent minerals (particularly Ca and P) and are reasonable sources of vitamins C (64mg/100 g pulp), A, B1 and B2.

There are approximately 1,700,000 tonnes of lychee produced in Asia. Totalproduction in the Southern Hemisphere (mainly Africa, Madagascar and Australia) is around50,000 tonnes. There are also small industries in the USA and South America. This is thereverse situation to the avocado, indigenous to Central America, which is popular in North,Central and South America, and much of Africa.

The largest producers in Asia are China (1,270,000 tonnes), India (430,000 tonnes)Taiwan Province of China (110,000 tonnes), Thailand (85,000 tonnes) and Viet Nam (40,000tonnes). Further expansion is occurring in these as well as other countries to meet demandgenerated by the increasing regional affluence. In some of the traditional producing countriesof Asia, production is easily outstripped by local demand, although expansion is limited byavailable horticultural land.

In South East Asia, there are about 50,000 tonnes of lychee traded as fresh fruit duringthe season. Thailand is a major exporter, although longans are more important. Trade isimportant and expanding in China, Taiwan Province of China and Viet Nam. Fresh fruitdominates trade, although there are also exports of dried and canned fruit. In contrast, about15,000 tonnes are exported to Europe from Madagascar and South Africa.

The crop can be difficult to grow and yield consistently. The major productionproblems are irregular flowering and poor fruit retention, while alternate bearing and smallfruit size can also reduce grower returns. Trees take three to five years to come intoproduction, and will not produce substantial crops until year seven or eight. The fruits onlyripen on the tree and have a very short shelf-life without refrigeration.

Commercial production requires an experienced horticultural manager able to dealwith appropriate crop management practices such as irrigation, tree nutrition, etc. There is

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also a need to have an efficient packing and cool room or other facility to export fruit as thecrop deteriorates very quickly after harvest.

The crop has undergone intensive selection in China and there are about 26 cultivarsgrown commercially. However, four cultivars account for most of the production inGuangdong and Fujian (Fay Zee Siu, Souey Tung, Haak Yip and Wai Chee). Production inother countries is also generally based on Chinese cultivars e.g. Tai So (Hong Huey) and WaiChee (Kim Cheng) in Thailand; and Tai So, Kwai May Pink and Wai Chee in Australia. Theonly major exceptions are India and the warmer lychee areas of Thailand, where local selectionsof Chinese imports predominate. During the last 50 years, a few improved cultivars have beenbred or selected for commercial release (Sah Keng in Taiwan Province of China, Chacapat inThailand and Salathiel in Australia). There are limited breeding programmes in Southeast Asia.

Although lychee has a long history in southern China, it is a relatively new crop in mostother countries. The amount of research on production is rather small compared with the moreestablished fruit crops such as citrus, banana, pineapple, mango and others. There has beenmuch speculation regarding the response of the tree to environmental conditions and theimplications for productivity.

It was not until the mid- to late-1960’s that the first information was collected indicatingthe effects of climate on flower initiation, pollination and fruit set. During the 1980’s and1990’s, there was renewed interest in the crop, especially the effects of temperature and watersupply on flower initiation. There was also some effort to develop guidelines for plantprotection, watering, fertilizing and canopy management. Various attempts were also made toimprove storage and marketing. However, in spite of these efforts much more remains to bedone as there is room for more production in the Region, but only of the best varieties that canbe grown. In this regard, stronger varietal improvement programmes are needed toidentify/develop superior varieties for each agro-ecological zone of each country. At the sametime, efforts to expand the harvesting season will be of paramount importance.

Development of the lychee industry in the Region will require concerted efforts onthe part of the governments and the growers. Collaboration between countries is importantand rewarding. In view of the commonality of problems and issues, sharing of informationand experience on various aspects of lychee production could lead to quicker and lessexpensive redressals. FAO looks forward to the advice and guidance of the participantsconcerning an appropriate strategy for further development of the lychee industry in theRegion.

III. OBJECTIVES AND AGENDA

Mr. M.K. Papademetriou briefly presented the need and rationale for organizing theconsultation. He presented the objectives, the provisional agenda (Annex 2) and the detailsof the programme (Annex 3), which were duly adopted. The objectives of the Consultation,in brief, were as follows:

a) To review the status of lychee production in Asia and the Pacific and discuss theproblems faced as well as strategies required for overcoming existing problems.

b) Elaborate on the potential and opportunities for lychee production development.

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c) Discuss ways and means of strengthening collaboration on lychee research anddevelopment.

IV. OVERVIEW OF LYCHEE PRODUCTION IN THEASIA-PACIFIC REGION

Prof. S.K. Mitra reported that the lychee, which originated in southern China andpossibly northern Viet Nam, is now an important fruit crop of China, India, Thailand, VietNam, Nepal and Bangladesh. China is the largest producer of lychee in the world (1,270,000tonnes) and about 320,000 people are involved in the lychee industry.

The varietal base of lychee in all the countries of the region is quite narrow, except inChina. About 5–10 varieties are grown commercially in different countries. The productivityvaries from 1 to 15 tonnes per hectare. The harvesting season is also very narrow except inAustralia and Thailand. Due to lack of variation/diversity and narrow genetic base, newvarieties suitable for wide climatic conditions could not be developed. An ideal variety formodern requirements is still lacking since previous criteria, based on fruit size and quality,did not take into account factors such as maturity period, regular bearing and high yieldpotential, wider adaptability to ecological conditions, tree characteristics, and resistance tophysiological disorders.

Inadequate availability of high quality planting materials and poor field establishmentof air-layered plants are some of the constraints to rapid area expansion. Recent interest inthe crop should promote critical investigation of efficient methods of propagation by graftingand budding. The use of dwarf rootstocks would promote high-density plantings.

Australian horticulturists demonstrated that canopy management by pruningmaintains tree size and promotes flowering and cropping. The technique should be evaluatedin other countries. Nutrition management programmes for sustainable production based onleaf and soil nutrient standards are not available for most of the lychee growing countries ofthe region. The water requirements of the tree have been investigated and a schedule ofirrigation is available for Australian lychee orchards. However, specific recommendationsfor other countries are not available.

Low and irregular bearing is a major problem in commercial lychee cultivation.Many aspects of the flower initiation processes and subsequent flowering behavior stillremain to be studied. An alternative approach involves critical study of manipulatingtechniques which restrict vegetative flushing and promote vegetative dormancy and floralinitiation i.e., cinturing, spiral girdling, applying growth retardants, and withholdingirrigation and fertilizer application.

Lychee is subject to a wide range of pests that attack the tree, flowers and fruit.However, very few of the regular pests affect production and need to be controlled. Lycheeshould be harvested only when it is fully mature, and brix:acid ratio is considered as theindex of maturity in most countries. Once lychees are picked, they start to dry out andbecome brown. Fruits should be kept in high humidity conditions and cooled to 5oC asquickly as possible. Fruits are normally shipped using refrigerated transport, which retainsthe red skin colour and greatly prolongs the shelf-life. China, Australia and Thailand exportlychees regularly, mostly to Hong Kong, Singapore and European countries.

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V. COUNTRY REPORTS

Australia

Dr. Christopher M. Menzel informed the participants that lychee has been grown inAustralia for about 100 years, although commercial production expanded only in the late1970’s. Total production in 1999 was 3,500 tonnes, worth AU$15 million. Returns forlychee on a per hectare basis can be quite high and more than match those for other fruitcrops, but under some circumstances they can be disappointing. Yield per tree, plant spacingand price per kg are the main factors affecting gross returns. Average yields for ten-year-oldtrees can be as high as 50 kg per tree, but can be as low as 10 kg for some cultivars in somelocations. Yields are greatest with Kwai May Pink on the Atherton Tableland in northQueensland and in coastal districts in southern Queensland.

Profitable growing starts with the identification of a market opportunity for theproduct either internationally or locally. The site and cultivar determine the time ofproduction, while there are large seasonal fluctuations in price. There are also importantagronomic decisions associated with site selection. The site should be frost-free and yet havea dependable period of cool weather to induce flowering. There should be a reliable supplyof good quality water and suitable soil. The slope of the land should allow safe use ofvehicles for tree maintenance and harvesting. Selection of regular heavy-yielding cultivarswith good quality fruit is essential. In establishing orchards, closer planting to produce highearly returns should be considered, but sufficient space for access should be maintained.

Planning for netting of trees when production commences should be considered.Fruit piercing moths, bats and birds can regularly destroy 60 percent of unprotected crops.Lychees have a range of serious pests that must be controlled, and they require regularfertilizer applications. However, these do not appear to be major costs. All cultivars have ashort production season and short shelf-life so that efficiency in picking, in the pack-house,and in the cool-room is essential. Marketing decisions will determine the success and failureof the enterprise. Marketing groups established in the different growing areas have generallyimproved returns to growers, but their full potential will only be reached with thedevelopment of better post-harvest technology.

The Australian industry has the objective of producing 1 percent of the world’slychees by 2010. With total world production at about 1 million tonnes, this represents acrop of about 10,000 tonnes, nearly three times the present production. Australia has manyadvantages in growing and marketing lychees. Production and post-harvest technology isreasonably advanced, while many growers have a business background bringing with themnew skills, innovation and off-farm income. The production season is long, stretching fromOctober in northern districts to March in southern areas, while the main cultivar, Kwai MayPink is well respected in domestic and export markets.

The industry has a long history of grade standards, quality assurance and cooperativemarketing, with a strong commitment to exporting. Australia has a number of realadvantages when competing with Madagascar, South Africa and Reunion. Whereas mostfruit exported from these Southern Hemisphere competitors is chemically treated, Australianfruit do not receive any post-harvest sprays or dips. Australia is near to the expanding Asianmarket where it can supply fruit out-of-season. The close association between industry andresearch providers also offers a competitive advantage to Australian growers.

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While the returns for lychee can be very lucrative, there are risks associated with itsproduction and marketing. Many orchards are inherently low yielding due to the cultivarselected or the location of the planting. Even in an ideal location, there can be problems withflowering or fruit set and pests. Harvesting and packing are very labour intensive and costly.The fruits are susceptible to browning and rotting, and thus have a relatively short shelf-lifewhen stored and transported under existing technology. This creates problems in bothdomestic and export markets, even for growers committed to grade and quality standards.

Opportunities for increasing production include new cultivars and better methods oforchard management and pest control. There will also need to be improvements in the post-harvest treatment and marketing of the crop. These developments are more likely to succeedif the industry remains united in its vision for the future. Growers also need to consideroptions for research and development, information transfer, and industry organization.

Bangladesh

Dr. S.B.M. Abu Baker Siddiqui said that lychee is a delicious and highly priced fruitand has a great demand among all sections of people in Bangladesh. The period ofavailability of lychee is only about 60 days. The agro-ecological conditions of Bangladeshare conducive for the production of high quality lychee but the area and production of lycheeis modest in comparison to other major fruits. A good number of varieties of lychee arecultivated in the country but only 2-3 varieties are of good quality and are cultivated in avery limited area.

Lychee is mainly propagated by air-layering. Government horticulture centres, wheregood mother trees are maintained, are the main sources of lychee planting material.However, the quality of planting material is not consistent mainly due to inadequateknowledge and skill of the nurserymen.

Establishment of young plants in the field is one of the major problems inBangladesh and mortality rate is quite high. To obtain regular good yields proper care andmanagement including irrigation, manuring and fertilization, pruning, and mulching areconsidered essential.

The average national yield of lychee is 2.5 tonnes per hectare, but yields of wellmaintained lychee orchards of the best varieties are more than double the national average,indicating the potentiality. The scope for expansion of lychee in Bangladesh is bright and thepresent area can easily be doubled. The soil and climate are suitable, production areas areconcentrated, the transportation network is comparatively good, and there is a big domesticmarket for lychee.

The slow expansion of the lychee growing area and poor yields are due to theavailability of only a few good varieties, difficulties in establishing the orchards, insufficientsupply of high quality planting material, poor management practices, and inadequateknowledge and skill of the farmers. However, by providing training to the farmers,nurserymen and extension people; introducing a few more early- and late-season varieties;and supplying good quality planting materials, the present production scenario will definitelychange. Post-harvest treatment and proper storage will help in extending the shelf-life of

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lychee and thus enhance the period of availability of marketable fruits in the domesticmarket.

China

Dr. Xuming Huang stated that lychee is native to southern China. Recordedcultivation of this fruit in the country dates back to more than 2,100 years ago. Throughoutthe long history of lychee production, the Chinese farmers have selected and bred hundredsof cultivars and accumulated rich experience in cultivation. The area under lychee and thetotal production of the fruit in China increased very slowly before 1980, when lychee wascultivated by farmers on a small-scale as a sideline for self-consumption and the localmarket. Since the 1980’s, lychee production has increased dramatically as China tries to shiftfrom a planned economy to a market economy. Up to 1999, the cultivated area under lycheein China has exceeded 592,000 hectares including the 11,961 hectares in Taiwan. Thehighest recorded lychee production in China was obtained in 1999, with a total output ofover 1.37 million tonnes including 108,668 tonnes produced in Taiwan. The production oflychee is expected to further increase as more and more recently established orchards start toproduce fruit.

The major lychee production regions within China are Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian,Taiwan and Hainan, and the minor production regions include Sichuan, Yunan and Guizhou.About 20 cultivars among the more than 200 recorded ones are commercially cultivated inChina. Important early-season cultivars include ‘Sanyuehong’, ‘Baila’, ‘Shuidong’, ‘Dazao’,‘Heiye’ and ‘Feizixiao’, while the mid- and late-season cultivars include ‘Guiwei’,‘Nuomici’, ‘Huazhi’, ‘Chenzhi’, ‘Lanzhu’, and ‘Yuanhong’.

Most of the lychee orchards in China are established on sloping lands. There arefarmers who establish their lychee orchards on hillsides with a slope higher than 20o. In orderto prevent soil erosion caused by the frequent rainfall of southern China, the hillsides aremade into terraces with anti-flood ditch systems. Planting materials of lychee are producedby air-layering and more often by grafting and budding. Grafting and budding are usuallydone in late spring or early autumn to avoid hot, chilly or rainy weather, while planting isusually done in the warm and humid spring. Most lychee farmers prefer to plant at a higherdensity (2.5-3m×3.5-4m) initially and thin the plants to a permanent spacing (6m×6m or 300trees/hectare) as the tree crowns expand and overlap. Fertilization for non-bearing youngtrees follows the principle of ‘slight but frequent’ to encourage the development of eachflush and thus fast canopy expansion. Usually two growths of autumn flushes are encouragedto develop into the fruiting branches for the coming year. Late autumn flushes and winterflushes are negative to flower differentiation, and farmers use chemical and physical meansto suppress growth. Mulching and forage covers in the orchard are highly recommended.

Major diseases and pests in lychee include downy mildew, anthracnose, lychee stinkbugs, lychee stem-end borer and lychee mite. Apart from chemical control, lychee farmerscarry out orchard cleaning during the dry season in order to reduce the sources of pests anddiseases. Fruit bagging has proved to be very effective in keeping the fruit from pestinfestation and disease infection, and is becoming more and more popular among farmers inspite of the fact that it is labour consuming. Fruit cracking is a major problem in some lycheecultivars and more effective control measures are required.

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The harvesting season of lychee in China is concentrated within one and a halfmonths, from late-May to early-July. The fruit produced by smallholders is either sold atlocal markets or purchased by small dealers who later sell the fruit to consumers in wholesalemarkets or in supermarkets, or to other retail dealers. Many of the corporations who run largelychee orchards have post-harvest handling facilities, transportation means and channels ofmarketing. An alternative to refrigeration for long distance transportation of lychee is to packthe fruit in plastic bags and put the bags in heat-proof foam boxes, adding ice blocks to about1/3 in volume of the fruit. However, this works for no more than 2 days.

Local government plays an important role in facilitating fruit marketing. There is stilla large domestic market potential in the northern regions as well as a large internationalmarket potential for the further development of lychee production. However, a number ofconstraints are presently hampering further development of the lychee industry in China.These include short shelf-life of the fruit, short production season, shortage of efficientmarketing systems, unorganized production by farmers, weak financial strength andmarketing capability of smallholders, and irregular bearing caused largely by climaticaspects. Joint efforts are being made by the Government, researchers and extensionpersonnel to tackle these constraints.

India

Dr. H.P. Singh reported that lychee was introduced into India through Myanmarduring the 18th century. It is an important commercial fruit in some states such Bihar,Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttranchal and Punjab.However, about 74 percent of the total production is contributed by Bihar. The secondlargest producing state is West Bengal. Presently, lychee ranks 7th in area, 9th in productionand 6th in terms of value among fruit crops in India. The country is the world's secondlargest producer of lychee after China.

The area under cultivation has increased from 9,400 hectares in 1949-50 to 56,000hectares in 1998-99, with a total production of 429,000 tonnes. Lychee cultivars grown arehighly variable under different agro-climatic conditions. More than 20 cultivars have beendescribed, but only a few are of commercial importance i.e. Shahi, China, Calcuttia, EarlyBedana, Late Bedana and Longia. Planting material is provided by both private andGovernment nurseries. The harvesting period is in May-June, depending upon the cultivarand location. However, in the hills of southern India, lychee is harvested in November-December. Usually 80-150 kg of fruit per tree is obtained from 15-year-old trees. Higheryields (160-200 kg/tree) have also been recorded.

There is potential for an additional 100,000 hectares to be brought under lycheecultivation. However, to achieve this, good planning is required. The proposed NationalResearch Centre for Lychee to address existing problems is a step in the right direction.There is a need for improving productivity and fruit quality. Suitable superior cultivars areneeded for various agro-climatic conditions. It is also important to develop promising linesthat have larger fruit, small seeds, are tolerant to bark splitting, and have different maturityperiods. Crop management practices, post-harvest technology, and marketing issues needdue attention.

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Indonesia

Dr. M. Winarno said that lychee (Lychee chinensis) is one of the minor fruit crops inIndonesia. It is less popular than the longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour) and rambutan(Nephelium lappaceaum). The cultivated area is very limited, located in three districts in theprovince of Bali at elevations of 400-700 m. The area has 4-5 dry months, a temperature of22º-31ºC and 80 percent relative humidity. The annual precipitation is around 2,500-3,000mm.

Lychee is mostly grown in the home gardens and also as a road-side tree. The totalnumber is only about a thousand trees at the age of over 50 years. The trees could haveoriginated from a single mother tree grown in the garden of the Tapaksiring Palace in Bali.There has been no specific crop management carried out by the growers. The spacing isirregular with no irrigation, no fertilizer application, no pruning and no disease and pestcontrol measures. However, the yield is reported to be high at about 200-300 kg per tree.

The lychee is taken fresh to the local markets and hotels in bunched panicles of fruitsin bamboo baskets. Constraints in production development include lack of improvedvarieties, unavailability of quality planting material, short harvest season, year-to-yearvariation in yield, low quality of fruits, large tree size, destructive root system, and lack ofcrop management technology. The areas with most potential for lychee development arelocated in the eastern part of Indonesia.

Nepal

Dr. Kedar Budathoki mentioned that lychee is one of the important fruit crops inNepal. It is grown in the Terai (Plain), low-hill and mid-hill areas at an altitude ranging from61 to 950 m above sea level. Nepal has 75 districts and it has been reported that lychee iscultivated in 62 of these. The total area under cultivation is about 2,830 hectares. The totalproduction in 1998/99 was 13,875 tonnes.

The common varieties grown in the Terai and low-hill areas are Mujafpuri, RajaSaheb, Deharaduni, China and Calcuttia. Their fruit matures from mid-May to mid-June. Inthe mid-hill areas only local selections are grown. Some of the local selections are Pokhara,Udaipur, Tanahu, Chitwan, Kalika and Gorkha. In the past lychee was propagated by seed.However, the current tendency is to raise plants through vegetative propagation (air-layering). Nursery plants are produced by Government horticultural farms/stations as well asby private nurseries.

It appears that lychee is a high-income and very profitable fruit crop in Nepal. Infact, it is considered more profitable than mango and banana. In spite of the inadequate cropmanagement practices, good yields are obtained by commercial growers. The demand in thedomestic market is quite strong, but at present local production cannot meet the requirementsof the local market. As a result substantial quantities are imported every year. It is estimatedthat about 60 percent of the consumed lychee fruit is imported from India.

There is a very good potential for lychee development in the country. However, thereare no Government plans at present for the development of the lychee industry. Major,limiting factors in lychee development are: a) unavailability of superior cultivars and suitablerootstocks for each agro-ecological zone; b) shortage of high quality planting material; c)

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poor knowledge of the farmers on appropriate crop management practices to be followed;and d) lack of trained manpower (research and extension personnel) in lychee. A well-thought out programme will be needed to address these limitations.

Philippines

Dr. Rachel C. Sotto reported that lychee or ‘litsiyas’ is one of the promising highlandfruits of the country. Its exact date of introduction into the Philippines is unknown. However,in 1916 it was reported that lychee was introduced from China many years earlier. It has alimited area of cultivation and is grown predominantly in the highlands of the CordilleraAutonomous Region, specifically in Benguet and Mountain Province. It is also grown in thecool areas of Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Laguna and Ilocos Sur. Being a very minor fruitcrop, no secondary production data is available.

A few private nurseries and Government institutions are involved in the production ofmarcotted and grafted plants of lychee. Two varieties are grown in the highlands of theCordillera namely, ‘Sinco’ which is of Chinese origin and ‘Mauritius’ which is a SouthAfrican introduction. Three other promising selections have also been identified. These are‘UPLB Red’, ‘Olan’ and an unnamed selection of the Department of Agriculture in Lipa,Batangas. Except for ‘UPLB Red’, which has already been registered under the NationalSeed Industry Council, the other two selections are still being evaluated under lowlandconditions.

Lychee is usually grown in mixed plantings together with other fruit crops likebanana, chico, mango and star apple. No elaborate land preparation is practiced except forclearing. Minimal care is also given to the trees. Application of manure and inorganicfertilizers is dependent on the level of resources of the farmers. Irrigation, weeding andmulching are usually not practiced.

There are no serious pests and diseases attacking the lychee in the Philippines. Somepests and diseases which have been reported to infest this crop are leaf miners, beetles,erinose mites, fruit and stem borers, bats and Clitocybe sp.

The harvesting season is from May to August. Fruits are packed and soldimmediately after harvesting. Production of lychee in the country averages 10-50 kg/tree,which is below the acceptable yield of 60-70 kg/tree and way below the maximum yields of125-130 kg/tree which were reportedly obtained in India and Australia. Due to the limitedproduction the country is a net importer of lychee.

Lychee growing in the Philippines has made very little progress since its introductioninto the country. One pressing problem is the lack of superior varieties that are adapted tolocal growing conditions. Unless good varieties that flower and fruit regularly areintroduced, fruit growers are not encouraged to plant this crop on a large scale. At present,lychee production is confined only to a few highland provinces. Trial plantings need to becarried out in other cool areas of the country where this crop may be adapted. In addition,varieties suited to tropical lowland conditions need to be introduced for trial planting.

Another constraint to lychee production is the high cost of production inputsincluding planting materials. The limited production, especially on fertilization, irrigationand flower induction also poses limitations to lychee production. Added to this are weak

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technology promotion and adoption, limited Government support and lack of adequateirrigation facilities.

In spite of all these constraints, the future still holds bright for lychee productiondevelopment in the Philippines. Firstly, it has been shown to perform well in certain areas.Secondly, it is an attractive fruit with good consumer acceptance and a substantial localdemand. With available highland areas, which may be suited to lychee production and a planto expand germplasm efforts to increase introduction of cultivars, especially those suited tolowland growing conditions, the Philippines hopes to improve the industry and reduce lycheeimports thereby saving on foreign exchange.

Thailand

Dr. Ravie Sethpakdee pointed out that, most likely, lychee was introduced intoThailand in 1782 by Chinese traders and immigrants. However, the first record about lycheein Thailand is dated back to the year 1854. Raised beds or ridges are used for growinglychees in the lowlands of Samut Songkhram and adjacent provinces. Upland plantations arefound on sloping areas of Chanthaburi, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai,Chiang Rai and some other provinces. The total area under cultivation in the year 2000 was22,937 hectares, with a total production of 81,388 tonnes. Chiang Mai (8,322 ha) and ChiangRai (5,763 ha) are the major lychee producing provinces.

There are two groups of cultivars grown in Thailand. The cultivars of the 1st groupare grown in lowland areas of the Central, Eastern and Western regions and they requiremoderately low temperatures for flowering and fruiting. The most important cultivar of thisgroup is "kom" (dwarf), with a compact canopy. Other cultivars of less importance are Kra-lok, Bai-Yaw, Sampao Kaew, Sa-rack Tong, Jean, Jean Yak, Tai, Tai Yai, Chor Rakum,Kiew Waan, Dang Payom, Kratone Tong Pra-rong, Kra-lok Bai Dum and Pantip. Thecultivars of the 2nd group require lower temperatures for their flowering and fruiting and aregrown in the north. "Hong Huay" is the most important cultivar of this group, followed byChakrapad, Kim Cheng, O-Hia, and a few others. Chakrapad usually fetches higher pricesdue to its larger fruit size.

Air-layering is the only propagation method used in lychee. Planting material isprovided by Government and private nurseries. Sunburn, fruit cracking and undevelopedseeds are major physiological disorders. Harvesting of fruit lasts for 3 months, from mid-March to mid-June. The average yield of "kom" and "Hong Huay" cultivars is 4.3-5 tonnesper hectare. Marketing of lychee is in the hands of middlemen and exporters. Thailandexports lychee to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Europe and the USA. In 1999, HongKong was the largest importer of fresh lychee (8,644 tonnes), while Malaysia and the USAwere the major importers of canned lychee (3,767 and 2,049 tonnes, respectively).

It appears that there are some prospects for further lychee production development.However, this development is hampered by the alternate bearing uncertainty of the crop, theperishability of the fruit and the unorganized marketing. In addition, farmers currently preferto grow longan instead of lychee, as longan is considered more profitable. High demand oflongan from China during the last few years has pushed longan prices higher than those oflychee.

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Viet Nam

Dr. Vu Manh Hai explained that north Viet Nam, located close to southern China,could also be considered the place of origin of lychee; in fact, some evidence exists to provethis. Wild lychee trees have been found in some mountains in Tamdao (Phutho province -northern part) and Quangbinh (central part) by French and Vietnamese scientists.

Although many varieties of lychee are now available, only one variety called"vaithieu" is extensively grown for commercial purposes in northern Viet Nam. The totalarea under lychee cultivation is estimated to be about 30,000 ha. The provinces of Bacgiang,Haiduong, Quangninh, Hatay and Langson are the leading ones for lychee cultivation(20,275 ha, 9,325 ha, 4,925 ha, 604 ha and 223 ha, respectively).

Total production in the year 2000 was approximately 40,000 tonnes, excluding smallcultivated areas in other provinces, of which 70-75 percent of the fruit was locally consumed;with the rest being exported to China, Hong Kong, ASEAN and European countries (France,Russia, etc.).

The lack of elite varieties, the short harvesting period (one to one and a half monthsonly), unavailability of high quality planting material, poor crop management practices,inadequate technical know-how of the extension staff and the farmers, and lack of post-harvest technologies involving equipment and facilities needed for fruit preservation andstorage are considered to be the main constraints for lychee production in Viet Nam.

In order to improve the situation, it is necessary to cooperate with regional andinternational institutions concerned to exchange and diversify genetic resources, from whichwell-adapted superior varieties could be identified/developed; and to get experience inintegrated crop management practices.

Generally, production of lychee in Viet Nam has high a potential since the climaticconditions are suitable for lychee growing. In this respect the market demand and properpolicy required for lychee development have been studied.

VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Lychee is indigenous to Southeast Asia and makes a significant contribution to thelives and economic health of many millions of people in the Region. The species originatedin southern China and northern Viet Nam, but has now spread to most countries thatexperience a sub-tropical climate for part of the year. The crop is most important in China,India, Viet Nam, Thailand, Bangladesh and Nepal. There is also interest in Australia, thePhilippines and Indonesia. Production in the Asia-Pacific Region accounts for more than 95percent of world cultivation, at about 2 million tonnes. The crop is very popular throughoutthe Region with strong domestic markets and increasing affluence. About 58 percent of theworld’s population live in this Region. There is also some trade within the Region withexports to Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Most of the fruits are sold fresh, with athird of the crop dried in China, and limited processing and canning. The bulk of the crop isproduced by smallholders with less than 100 trees each. Orchards with more than 1,000 treesare rare, except in southern China where there are single plantings of more than 10,000 trees.The fruit has a high value, and can significantly add to the income of smallholders. A few

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trees may double the income of such families. Despite the long history of cultivation in theRegion, many areas experience low productivity, with average yields generally below 5tonnes per hectare. This can be due to the weather affecting flowering, poor cultivars or lackof tree care. In Israel and some other countries, yields of up to 15 tonnes per hectare havebeen achieved. This indicates that there is a large gap between actual and potential yields.Much work is required to raise productivity across different locations. Prospects forincreasing production and marketing of this crop are high if some of the growing, post-harvest handling and marketing issues are resolved. Intra-regional cooperation would assistindustry development and the importance of the crop to local economies. Training forextension and scientific staff is also a priority.

2. Lychee trees require temperatures around 15oC (or lower) to flower successfully. Aperiod of dry weather at this time can also assist cropping. Once trees have set fruit, warmweather with good soil moisture is usually associated with heavy yields. Cropping is thuslimited to areas with some cool weather before flowering. Production is very erratic in thetrue tropics where night-time temperatures seldom fall below 25oC. The majority of theindustries are thus based in areas with night-time temperature falling below 15oC. However,there are examples of industries with cultivars that will flower at slightly higher temperatures(e.g. Central Thailand). These areas often supply early season fruit and return higherincomes than fruit from “traditional” sub-tropical areas, but can fail some years. The qualityof some of these cultivars is often inferior compared with the traditional types. Newcultivars that have better fruit quality need to be developed for these areas. More research isrequired to define the optimum temperatures for flowering in the major commercial cultivars.There are also some growing techniques that can assist cropping in the warmer areas, butthey have not been evaluated across the different environments. The other constraints relatedto weather are poor fruit set during cool damp weather, and damage to trees and fruit aftertyphoons. The risk to orchards is greater with plantings close to the coast (e.g. China andViet Nam).

3. Lychee has a long history of cultivation in the Region, with many cultivars available.However, there is a paucity of information on the yield of different cultivars in the variouscountries. It is generally considered that the performance of many cultivars is disappointingand makes lychee production unprofitable. There are also differences in production seasonand fruit quality which impact on marketing. Many industries are based on one or twocultivars. Choice of cultivar along with growing area has a major influence on orchardviability. Lack of suitable cultivars probably limits lychee production in many countries.This is because the existing cultivars are low yielding or not well regarded in themarketplace. Exchange of germplasm would increase the production of the crop in manycountries. There is only limited plant selection and plant breeding in the crop. Somecountries such as India, China, Nepal and Viet Nam have many seedling trees, which couldform the basis of a new genepool for future cultivars and industry expansion. A breedingprogramme is required in the long-term to develop better cultivars, and is best implementedwith a regional focus. In the interim, the current genepool should be more systematicallyevaluated. Standardization of cultivar names and descriptions would assist cooperation.Based on the above, it can be concluded that there is a need for a much stronger varietalimprovement programme in all countries.

4. Propagation is well described, with most orchards based on air-layers. However,grafting or budding is popular in China and grafting popular in Viet Nam. It is reported thatgrafted trees are more drought and wind resistant; however, little experimental evidence is

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available. Grafting also uses less planting material than air-layering. However, there aresome disadvantages with grafting. Grafting is not as easy as air-layering and requires thegrowing of seedling rootstocks. Grafted trees are also slower to be planted out. There islittle information on the compatibility between different cultivars and the impact onproduction and fruit quality. Lack of irrigation can be responsible for the failure of newlyestablished young plants. Many countries reported serious loss of young plants at this stage.Education of nursery workers and growers in tree care and the provision of irrigation wouldimprove success rates. It is apparent that further work is required to standardize nurserytechniques.

5. Lychees can be grown on a range of different soil types, including soils with a pHranging from 5 to 8. In very acid or alkaline soils there can be problems with iron, zinc,boron and other nutrients. The soil must be freely draining, although the trees can tolerate awet profile for part of the day. Tree health and production are probably best with sandy,sandy loam and clay loam soils. Heavy clay soils are best avoided. Lychee production isunlikely to be restricted by poor soils throughout most of the Region.

6. It was agreed that production is probably best with irrigation of the orchards,especially during the fruiting cycle. Rainfall varies from month to month across the differentagro-ecological zones. Most of the lychee orchards are not irrigated and are thereforedependent on regular rainfall. Experiments in Australia and South Africa have shown thatdrought can affect growth and fruit production, but the impact for local farms in SoutheastAsia is not known. Most growers cannot afford the cost of irrigation. In any case, irrigationwater is not available in most areas. In the absence of irrigation it was suggested thatmulching and some cover crops would probably assist water conservation,. It can beconcluded that new orchards should be irrigated if possible.

7. Most growers apply fertilizers to their orchards. Tentative leaf and soil standards areavailable for lychee, but the tests are possibly too expensive for smallholders. Localgovernment extension staff could provide this service on a provincial or district basis. Mostgrowers use a mixture of organic and chemical fertilizers, although the source of the fertilizeris unlikely to have any impact on production. In contrast, the effect of time of fertilizerapplication on cropping has yet to be resolved. Crop nutrient removal data could be used asa basis for estimating fertilizer requirements. The role of nutrient recycling in the lycheeorchards was highlighted, with the possibility of organic farming in some circumstances.

8. High-density orchards are becoming popular in the Region, and would be expected toincrease the returns to growers, especially in the early years of a planting. There is evidencethat these orchards can have double the returns of traditional low-density plantings.Considerable experience has been developed in some countries such as China. These closerplantings would be expected to increase the returns for both small and large landholders.High-density plantings require some method of canopy management to control tree size, withclose attention to water and nutrient management. Experiments in China and Australia haveshown that trees should be pruned in the first few weeks after harvest. This research needs tobe repeated in the other growing areas. Extension staff also need training in the variousaspects and benefits of canopy management. There are also various methods for controllingflower initiation such as droughting, girdling, pruning and chemical defoliation that needevaluation across the Region.

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9. Many insects and other pests affect the lychee tree, leaves, flowers and fruit;however, their impact on grower returns varies throughout the Region. Most countries needto develop their own systems of integrated pest management, although there could becooperation for the control of erinose mite and some other pests. Pest management alongwith other methods of tree care must be suited to the needs and abilities of the smallholders.Diseases were not considered to have a strong affect on production, apart from anthracnosein China and Australia.

10. Lychee fruits are highly perishable and have a short shelf-life. This seriously limitsthe marketing and expansion of the crop across the Region. Much research has been initiatedto reduce fruit browning and rotting; however, no protocols have been established which canguarantee fruit quality for more than a week or two. This includes heating and cooling thefruit, various packages, and application of various fungicides and other chemicals. Many ofthe industries in the Region are based on the treatment of the fruit with sulphur; however,this chemical may be withdrawn soon. This makes the development of a new post-harvesttreatment more urgent. Many countries do have reliable access to on-farm cool-rooms,hydrocoolers, or refrigerated transport.

11. Most of the lychees produced in the Region are marketed locally. There are someexports to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, and to a lesser degree Europe and the ArabStates. There are certain problems with Japan and the USA because of quarantine issueswith fruit flies. Disinfestation protocols need to be established for the various markets. Themarket potential within the Region is strong because of the rising affluence within Asia andthe Pacific. Good quality fruit from the Region is also highly regarded in Europe. However,there has been very little market intelligence collected. The preferred cultivars, packaging,etc. for the different markets are not known. The potential size and value of each market isalso unknown. Lack of freight space is a limit for some countries like Australia. Qualitystandards have been developed in some countries.

12. There is a growing awareness for organically produced food. Organic farming is oneof several approaches to sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. Lycheefarmers could have a share of the world organic market, which is growing at a rate of 15-20percent every year. Therefore, it is worth exploring the possibility of organic farming.

13. The consultation revealed that there was a need for improving the skills andtechnological knowledge of research and extension staff in many of the participatingcountries, along with orchard management skills of lychee growers. This could be achievedthrough professional development of scientific and extension staff, seminars, workshops,study tours, and on-farm training across the Region. The establishment of a lychee networkthroughout the Asia and Pacific Region would assist this training, and foster the exchange ofnew cultivars and technology. However, much stronger Government support is required toassist expansion in the various countries. The consultation recommended the establishmentof a lychee network to foster cooperation and exchanges within the Region.

14. National workshops are a possible way of increasing the understanding of the crop inthe different countries. These would follow a FAO Regional Workshop on Lychee. Variousstakeholders such as research scientists, extension staff and growers would be included inthese national workshops.

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15. There is a low base of information on growing and marketing lychee in manycountries throughout the Region. A regional network as indicated above would assist theexchange of information. It was also suggested that a lychee production manual be producedby FAO to cover various aspects of the crop in the Asia-Pacific. The manual would bedirected at research, extension staff and farmers, and provide information about improvingreturns from lychee enterprises, especially smallholders.

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Annex 1

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

AUSTRALIA

Dr. Christopher M. MenzelSenior Principal HorticulturistMaroochy Research StationDepartment of Primary IndustriesP.O. Box 5083, SCMC NambourQueensland 4560Tel: (61-7) 54449600, 54412211Fax: (61-7) 54412235E-mail: MenzelC@dpi.qld.gov.au

BANGLADESH

Dr. S.B.M. Abu Baker SiddiquiNational Project DirectorIntegrated Horticulture and Nutrition Development Project - BGD/97/041Department of Agricultural ExtensionRoom No. 530, Rear BuildingKhamarbari, Farm Gate, Dhaka 1215Tel: (880-2) 8117018Fax: (880-2) 8117569E-mail: bsidd@bdmail.net

CHINA

Dr. Xuming HuangAssociate ProfessorDepartment of HorticultureSouth China Agricultural UniversityTianhe, Guangzhou 510642Tel: (86-20) 85280228, 85283086Fax: (86-20) 85282107E-mail: hortscau@public.guangzhou.gd.cn

huangxm@scau.edu.cn

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INDIA

Dr. H.P. SinghHorticulture CommissionerDepartment of Agriculture and CooperationMinistry of AgricultureKrishi Bhawan, New Delhi 110001Tel: (91-11) 3381012Fax: (91-11) 3384978E-mail: hpsingh@krishi.delhi.nic.in

hpsinghhc@123india.dot.com

INDONESIA

Dr. M. WinarnoDirectorDirectorate of Fruit CropsMinistry of AgricultureJl. Ragunan 19, Pasar MingguJakarta 12520Tel: (62-21) 7806760, 7816820Fax: (62-21) 7806760E-mail: hortina@indo.net.id

NEPAL

Dr. Kedar BudathokiSenior ScientistHorticulture Research DivisionNepal Agricultural Research CouncilKhumaltar, LalitpurTel: (977-1) 541944Fax: (977-1) 521197, 523653E-mail: hrdn@wlink.com.np

PHILIPPINES

Dr. Rachel C. SottoUniversity Researcher and Executive OfficerNPGRL - Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB)University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB)College, Laguna 4031Tel: (63-49) 5362298, 5362339Fax: (63-49) 5363438E-mail: rcs@ipb.uplb.edu.ph

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THAILAND

Dr. Ravie SethpakdeeAssociate Professor and HeadDepartment of HorticultureFaculty of AgricultureKasetsart UniversityKamphaengsaen CampusNakhon Pathom 73140Tel: (66-34) 281084, 281085 (Office); (66-34) 281833 (Residence)Mobile Phone: (01) 4400084, 6432681Fax: (66-34) 281086, 351889E-mail: agrras@ku.ac.th

Dr. Suranant SubhadrabandhuProfessor, Department of HorticultureFaculty of AgricultureKasetsart UniversityPhaholyothin Road, ChatuchakBangkok 10900Tel: (66-2) 5790308 (Ext. 136), 5614891 (Office), (66-2) 5801177 (Residence)Fax: (66-2) 5791951 Ext. 112E-mail: agrsns@ku.as.th

VIET NAM

Dr. Vu Manh HaiAssociate Professor and DirectorResearch Institute of Fruits and Vegetables (RIFAV)Trau Quy - Gia LamHanoiTel: (84-4) 8765572Fax: (84-4) 8276148E-mail: vrqhnvn@hn.vnn.vn

RESOURCE PERSON

Dr. Sisir K. MitraProfessorDepartment of Fruits and Orchard ManagementFaculty of HorticultureBidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV)P.O. Krishi ViswavidyalayaMohanpur 741252Nadia, West Bengal, IndiaTel: (91-33) 5823017 (Office); (91-33) 5823017 (Residence)Fax: (91-33) 5828460E-mail: sisirm@vsnl.net

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OBSERVERS

Dr. Nipat SukhvibulHorticulturistChiang Rai Horticultural Research CenterAmphur MuangChiang Rai 57000, ThailandTel: (66-053) 714023Fax: (66-053) 714024E-mail: sukhvibuln@yahoo.com

Mr. Prempree Na SongkhlaHorticulture Association of Thailand19/27 Ngamvongvan, ChatuchakBangkok 10903, ThailandTel: (66-2) 9411374Fax: (66-2) 9411373E-mail: prempree@asianet.co.th

FAO

Dr. R.B. SinghAssistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific,FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,Maliwan Mansion,39 Phra Atit Road,Bangkok 10200, ThailandTel: (66-2) 2817844Fax: (66-2) 2800445E-mail: FAO-THA@fao.org

Mr. Dong QingsongDeputy Regional RepresentativeFAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,Maliwan Mansion,39 Phra Atit Road,Bangkok 10200, ThailandTel: (66-2) 2817844Fax: (66-2) 2800445E-mail: FAO-THA@fao.org

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Mr. M.K. PapademetriouSenior Plant Production and Protection OfficerFAO Regional Office for Asia and the PacificMaliwan Mansion39 Phra Atit RoadBangkok 10200, ThailandTel: (66-2) 2817844Fax: (66-2) 2800445E-mail: minas.papademetriou@fao.org

Mrs. Valai VisuthiSecretaryFAO Regional Office for Asia and the PacificMaliwan Mansion39 Phra Atit RoadBangkok 10200, ThailandTel: (66-2) 2817844Fax: (66-2) 2800445E-mail: valai.visuthi@fao.org

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Annex 2

AGENDA

1. Opening Session

2. Regional Report

3. Country Reports

4. Potential and Opportunities for Lychee Development

5. Recommendations

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Annex 3

PROGRAMME

Tuesday, 15 May 2001

08.30-09.00 Registration09.00-10.00 Remarks on the Meeting by Mr. M.K. Papademetriou, FAO/RAP

Introduction of the ParticipantsElection of Chairman and RapporteurAddress by Dr. R.B. Singh, ADG/RR, RAPGroup Photograph

10.00-10.30 Coffee Break

10.30-11.15 Overview of Lychee Production in the Asia-Pacific Regionby Prof. S.K. Mitra

11.15-11.45 Lychee Production in Australiaby Dr. C.M. Menzel

11.45-12.15 Lychee Production in Bangladeshby Dr. S.B.M. Abu Baker Siddiqui

12.15-14.00 Lunch hosted by ADG/RR

14.00-14.30 Lychee Production in Chinaby Dr. Xuming Huang

14.30-15.00 Lychee Production in Indiaby Dr. H.P. Singh

15.00-15.30 Lychee Production in Indonesiaby Dr. M. Winarno

15.30-16.00 Coffee Break

16.00-16.30 Lychee Production in Nepalby Dr. K. Budathoki

16.30-17.00 Lychee Production in the Philippinesby Dr. R.C. Sotto

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Wednesday, 16 May 2001

09.00-09.30 Lychee Production in Thailandby Dr. R. Sethapakee

09.30-10.00 Lychee Production in Viet Namby Dr. Vu Manh Hai

10.00-10.30 Coffee Break

10.30-12.30 Discussion on the Potential and Opportunities for LycheeDevelopment in the Asia-Pacific Region

12.30-14.00 Lunch Break

14.00-15.30 General Discussion

15.30-16.00 Lunch Break

16.00-18.00 Plenary Session

Thursday, 17 May 2001

09.00-10.30 Workshop's Conclusions and Recommendations(Presentation and Discussion)

10.30-11.00 Coffee Break

11.00-12.30 Continue with the Workshop's Conclusions and RecommendationsAdoption of Recommendations

12.30-14.00 Lunch

*****