Bac Ninh’s leader sells tons of lychee via livestream

THE HANOI TIMES — Pham Van Thinh, Deputy Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee, drew widespread attention online after successfully selling 54 tons of Luc Ngan lychees during a six-hour livestream on June 29.

The livestream was part of the Luc Ngan Lychee Week, a series of activities under Bac Ninh’s digital transformation initiative.

It marked an unprecedented move, as it was the first time a provincial leader in Vietnam personally hosted a livestream to sell local produce.

Thinh said that his action was spontaneous, driven by a spirit of innovation and a desire to explore new ways of supporting local agriculture. To prepare, he watched a few videos and made some online purchases to observe others' techniques.

“I don’t have sales skills, but I believe in the values of Luc Ngan lychees and wanted to share that belief with consumers,” Thinh said. “What touched me the most wasn’t the 54 tons sold, but the calls from farmers thanking me and saying it was the first time they saw a provincial leader livestream to support them.”

Orders from the livestream were delivered to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and even international markets such as the United States, Japan, and Australia.

The broadcast attracted thousands of positive comments on social media, with many expressing pride in seeing a local leader step out of the meeting room to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers.

The livestream’s success marked an important step in Bac Ninh’s broader efforts to digitize its agricultural sector.

The province has previously invited technology experts and influencers to train farmers in livestreaming, packaging design, and branding. It is also promoting digital literacy, developing youth sales teams and e-commerce clubs, and partnering with logistics firms to ensure stable distribution channels for local produce.

In 2025, total lychee output in Vietnam is estimated at 303,000 tons, with Bac Ninh’s accounting for nearly half of the total figure.