Dongguan lychees are no longer just a local summer treat. In 2025, they’re making waves across the globe—ripening in Guangdong orchards one day, and appearing on overseas dining tables the next. With varieties like “Feizixiao” (妃子笑), “Nuomici” (糯米糍), and “Guiwei” (桂味), Dongguan’s lychees are turning sweet summer flavor into a booming international business.
From Orchard to Overseas in 24 Hours
Recently, the first shipment of fresh lychees from Jin Xibao Orchard in Huangjiang Town was sent overseas using a new C2C model. Carefully handpicked and packaged on-site, the fruit made it from the trees to a plane in under 12 hours and landed in Singapore the next morning—still juicy and fresh.
Because the shelf life of lychees like Feizixiao is only about two days, speed is essential. To meet this tight timeline, logistics staff are now stationed directly in the orchards, coordinating customs pre-declarations and fast-tracking shipments through the Shenzhen port. According to a logistics manager, “This year we finally enabled direct personal shipping of lychees overseas—achieving next-day delivery just like within China.”
Thanks to strong overseas Chinese communities and social group-buying networks, Dongguan lychees have found eager customers not only in Southeast Asia but also in Europe and North America. Local orchard owners are leveraging these connections to build an international fan base for the fruit.
Why Dongguan Lychees Are a Must-Try
So what makes Dongguan lychees so special?
First, there’s the geography. Dongguan’s subtropical climate and ideal latitude give lychee trees the perfect environment to thrive. The city was officially named “China’s Hometown of Lychees” in 2001, and by 2025, its lychee industry has been recognized as a key part of China’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage.
Dongguan’s orchards grow more than 15 varieties of lychees across 157,600 acres in 28 towns and districts. These include early-season favorites like Feizixiao, followed by Nuomici, Guiwei, Bingli, and Guanyin Green in mid-June. The city’s lychees consistently win top honors in national fruit competitions, with over 90% of its output meeting premium standards—more than 15% higher than the provincial average.
Dongguan is also a leader in breeding new varieties. Of the 10 lychee strains prioritized by Guangdong Province for promotion, four were developed right in Dongguan.
Turning a Seasonal Fruit into a Four-Season Industry
Dongguan’s sweet success isn’t just in growing great lychees—it’s in turning them into a complete industry. In recent years, the city has rapidly expanded its lychee economy, integrating agriculture, tourism, processing, and culture to transform lychees into a year-round business.
In 2025, Dongguan launched 10 lychee-themed rural tourism routes, covering 47 official pick-your-own orchards across towns like Houjie, Dalang, Humen, and Fenggang. These farms offer hands-on experiences that attract tourists, boost rural income, and strengthen the city’s agri-tourism appeal.
At the same time, local businesses are exploring creative lychee products beyond the traditional dried fruit. Think lychee coffee, lychee vinegar, lychee wine, lychee sausages, lychee mooncakes, lychee cookies, and even freeze-dried lychees. These innovations are helping Dongguan extend the fruit’s market from a short summer season to year-round global availability.
A “Sweet Ambassador” of Dongguan’s Cultural Power
Lychees are also a symbol of Dongguan’s cultural revival. From vivid cultural festivals to hand-drawn rural tourism maps and regional branding campaigns, the city is using lychees to tell its story. The fruit is not just a product—it’s a passport for Dongguan to the world.
And with the help of technology and logistics, Dongguan lychees are now making the leap from a once “imperial delicacy” to a modern international export. “From the horseback delivery of the Tang Dynasty to today’s next-day delivery worldwide,” as local media put it, Dongguan lychees are a sweet expression of tradition, innovation, and global ambition.
So this lychee season, whether you’re enjoying a fresh-picked fruit or sipping a lychee-infused drink, remember: it might just be a taste of Dongguan’s sweeter future.
