Footage filmed on Sunday shows motorbikes piled high with freshly picked lychees traveling along National Highway 31, while traders gather at roadside collection points to buy, sort and transport the fruit.

“I have been buying lychees in Luc Ngan for 15 years now. Depending on customer demand, we buy from two to 10 tonnes per day. We buy lychees directly from orchards or from people who bring them to sell,” said purchaser Giap Thi Thuy.

Traders say keeping the fruit fresh remains the biggest challenge. Unfavorable weather during the flowering and pollination stages has reduced this year’s harvest, with some estimates suggesting output is only around half of last year’s crop.

“During transportation, if exposed to intense sunlight, the fruit easily dries out due to its high sugar content, making it very difficult to keep them fresh for long periods,” Thuy said.

“This year, due to a poor lychee harvest, prices are very high, making procurement very difficult. Selecting good quality fruit is also challenging. While in previous years I could purchase them at home, this year we have to go directly to the collection points,” fellow purchaser Bui Huyen noted.

Luc Ngan is widely regarded as Vietnam’s lychee heartland. During harvest season, thousands of tonnes of fruit are collected, packed and shipped to domestic and international markets.

The industry supports farmers, traders and seasonal workers across the region, while also drawing visitors eager to experience the harvest first-hand.