A day at Tan Thanh Border Gate

	Import-export turnover of goods through Tan Thanh border gate grow sharply
	Digital border gate platform to be improved to avoid overlaps
	Tan Thanh border gate (Lang Son) maintains two clearance options

Tan Thanh officers handle vehicle procedures by management software for means of transport. Photo: H.N

Tan Thanh Border Gate, where customs procedures for export to China every day handle 90% of agricultural products and fresh fruits. At this border gate, the import activity was quiet for previous months due to the application of Zero Covid measures.

In the first two months of the year, Tan Thanh Customs processed customs procedures for 7,429 declarations, up 1457.4% compared with the same period in 2022. As a result, total trade in goods saw a year-on-year increase of 1,183.4% to US$ 69,822.566.

The department collected about VND3.2 billion, meeting 1.6% of the target, up 244.4% compared with the previous year. In addition, the department collected fees under Resolution No.01/2019/ND-HDND of Lang Son province, reaching over VND8.2 billion, up 1,339.2% compared with the year ago.

After two months of resuming customs clearance at border gates, Customs Magazine's reporter recorded the clearance for goods, especially agricultural products and fresh fruits.

Although the import and export activities are not busy as in previous times, the export of agricultural products resumes.

The import and export transshipped yard of Bao Nguyen Commercial Transport Joint Stock Company is full of cargo. Therefore, officers of Tan Thanh Customs inspected the cargo.

Driver Hoang Van Be transporting dragon fruit from Binh Dinh to Tan Thanh Border gate as instructed by the Customs.

"Because agricultural products and fresh fruits are priority items, the Customs clear all procedures related to goods declaration and means of transport via the Online Customs system.

China still restricts the entry of drivers shipping goods from Vietnam, so we still have to hire drivers at Tan Thanh Border Gate to hand over goods to the partners. However, although it took ten days to clear a consignment the previous time, now drivers only spend one to two days carrying out customs procedures. The reduction in customs clearance time shows the great efforts of competent agencies, especially the Customs authority," he said.

According to the Deputy Head of Customs Enforcement, Vu Tri Thuc, agricultural products are exempted from physical inspection. When the products are shipped to the border gate, they are classified into a private channel. To avoid consuming the time enterprises, Customs coordinates with drivers to inspect the packaging and traceability of goods following Chinese regulations.

Products exported across Tan Thanh Border Gate to China are mainly fresh agricultural products, including watermelon, dragon fruit, lychee, banana, mango, and jackfruit. Total export turnover across Tan Thanh Border Gate accounts for 90% of total trade in goods. Therefore, there are huge volumes of goods that wait for customs clearance. The quantity of goods increases when Chinese agencies reopen the border gate.

Deputy Manager of Tan Thanh Customs Branch Phung Van Ba said to create maximum conditions for agricultural products and fresh fruits. Tan Thanh Customs has taken measures to meet the target of improving customs clearance capacity, promoting customs reform, and facilitating imports and exports across the border gate.

The branch has regularly worked with the Chinese side to grasp the situation and information related to customs management and promptly notify Vietnamese enterprises, helping minimize cost and time damage in customs clearance at the border gate, especially for agricultural export products.

Mr Nguyen Van Nam, an officer of Tan Thanh Customs Branch, said the officers' branch had made a great effort to process customs procedures for enterprises to reduce the cost of storage and ensure the quality of goods. The officers have inspected and cleared goods even in night.

Although the customs clearance time for goods, the officer's workload still increases. The working hour of the officers from 7.30 am to 7pm , even to 10 pm. The Customs has cleared about 250 vehicles carrying imports across the border and instructed customs declaration upon request.

At the border areas, despite the harsh weather, Customs officers still quickly clear agricultural products and fruits with high responsibility.