Ricky Laxa
Staff Writer
Embassy of Vietnam organized a ceremony to mark the launch of ‘Lychee-Week’ in coordination with Dean & Deluca store and support from Star Fruit company and the beverage company, Monin. The event promoted the new season of Vietnamese lychee arriving in Kuwait and now on sale at Dean & Deluca stores in Kuwait and being supplied by the Star Fruit company.
During the event, guests were treated to the exquisite taste of the freshest lychees and encouraged to try the lychee mocktail made by Monin. There was also a lucky draw section to give out prizes to lucky participants.
Lychee is one of the juicy tropical fruits from Vietnam that cools and refreshes the body during the hot summer in Kuwait.
While there are other variants of lychees available in Kuwait, the lychee from Vietnam called ‘vải thiều’ by Vietnamese is special. This particular lychee variety was planted in the Thuy Lam village, Thanh Son commune of Hai Duong province nearly 200 years ago. The fruit of this lychee tree has redder skin than other trees, and although the fruit is small, the pulp is very thick and juicy.
Not only does lychee refresh you in summer, it also has several health benefits. One small fruit of lychee gives 66 kcals and eating 3 to 5 lychees a day can keep the energy running for a surprisingly long time. The lychee is also a rich source of highly recommended antioxidants, stimulates blood circulation, and promotes the digestive system’s health.
Lychee production in recent years has complied with VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards for Good Agriculture Products so as to ensure the export value of the fruit. Over 50 percent of lychees produced in Hai Duong province are now exported to countries around the world, and the reputation it has earned is well-deserved.
The fruit has been granted a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certification, which emphasizes the relationship between the Vietnamese Hai Duong province and the prestigious lychee from this area.
