Some countries allow a fumigation treatment that will increase storage life and improve skin color by preventing browning. Fruits are placed in a sealed room with 1 kilogram of pure sulphur per 1,600 kilograms of fruit. The sulphur is burned, and the sulphur dioxide fumes bleach the lychees' skin to a cream color with a slight red tinge. The skin turns red when it is exposed to air and light. If it fails to turn red or green during fumigation, it will not turn red later.
Fumigation also makes the skin less rigid and less prone to mechanical damage.
Packing the fruits in plastic bags immediately after fumigation can reduce drastically the level of disease development during long-term storage and shipping. Not all markets allow this treatment, however. The condensation that develops on removal from cold storage to hot ambient conditions is ideal for fungal growth, which exporters should not risk with fruit that will be shipped right away. Transport Lychees are generally exported by air, although they may be shipped by sea if the cold chain is maintained. Transportation from the packing facility to the airport should be in cool trucks if the fruits have already been cooled.