Customs creates maximum facilitation for agricultural exports

	Support agricultural exports across Northern border gate
	Agricultural exports surges in Lang Son
	By 2030, 60% of agricultural exports are processed products

Tan Thanh Customs officer instructs enterprises to pack lychee products for export. Photo: H.Nu

Fast customs clearance within the day

Assessing the role of the Customs authority, at the workshop "Importing and exporting agricultural products across borders in a new context: Current situation and solutions" co-organized by the Customs Research Institute and Lang Son Customs Department (General Department of Customs) in collaboration with the Institute of Financial Strategy and Policy (Ministry of Finance) held on May 12 in Lang Son City, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Director of the Institute of Strategy and Financial Policy said Customs authorities have made continuous efforts to simplify procedures, create maximum conditions and perform customs clearance within a day for export goods in the area, especially for export agricultural products; immediately solve problems arising in the process of carrying out customs procedures for exporting goods for enterprises.

Emphasizing the efforts of the Customs sector, according to Deputy Director General of the General Department of Customs Luu Manh Tuong, the Customs sector aims to support relevant individuals and organizations, especially enterprises to timely grasp, and fully comply with the provisions of the customs law, ensuring compliance with the provisions of the customs law in general and regulations related to export agricultural products in particular.

With that goal, Customs at all levels always give priority to propagating and mobilizing enterprises, individuals and organizations to coordinate with Customs authorities to carry out administrative reform and customs modernization activities.

In particular, in order to promote agricultural product export activities, the Customs authority has regularly held business dialogues, and consulted and supported export enterprises to understand the regulations of other countries on quarantine, quality standards, licensing mechanisms, payment procedures, and insurance.

In addition, in the management of export agricultural products, the Customs agency plays an important role in both controlling agricultural export activities and contributing to the development of this activity.

According to Deputy Director General Luu Manh Tuong, the Customs authority regularly directs the local customs units where agricultural products are exported to create maximum conditions and carry out customs clearance within the same day for agricultural export goods in the time of main harvest in particular and agricultural products in general; immediately solve problems arising in the process of carrying out customs procedures for export of goods; closely coordinate and regularly exchange information with the quarantine agency to quickly carry out procedures for enterprises.

In particular, the Customs has built and operated software on the National Single Window (NSW) to automatically receive dossiers of quality inspection and food safety inspection and decide on inspection methods on the basis of collecting and processing data on quality inspection and food safety inspection; transfer dossiers to compatibly inspection agencies and certification organizations; ensure information disclosure, transparency, connection and data sharing with relevant ministries, sectors and agencies.

In order to support the promotion of export agricultural activities, expand the market and increase competitiveness, Deputy Director General Luu Manh Tuong said that for the inspection and supervision of exported agricultural products, Customs is continuing to build and improve the model of centralized inspection sites; proactively coordinate with ministries and sectors in amending the system of legal documents on specialized inspection, detailing HS codes, and promulgating national technical standards and regulations for goods subject to inspection.

Simultaneously, promoting the application of inspection principles according to the method of threading inspection decisions; continue to improve the efficiency of the electronic customs clearance system, strongly promote the application of information technology (IT) at all professional stages towards the digital and smart customs model; coordinate with units to implement results of connection and exchange of commercial information and enterprises operating in the field of logistics, insurance and other related services, etc.

During the peak period at the border gates, the Customs authority always arranges for officials to handle customs clearance procedures and supervise export goods out of office hours, holidays and public holidays; coordinate with warehouse and yard businesses in the border gate area to arrange locations and create conditions for the preservation and quality classification of goods of enterprises while waiting for export. At the same time, regularly update the situation, and provide information and timely recommendations to enterprises exporting agricultural products through border gates in the area.

Some recommendations

In order to improve the capacity and promote the export of agricultural products, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Quynh said that enterprises need to quickly promote the shift from exporting by small quota to the official route for agricultural products; the authorities should step up the negotiation process with China in accepting Vietnamese agricultural products in the coming time, especially focusing on products with great potential; promote trade promotion, promote Vietnamese agricultural products as well as create a bridge between Vietnamese enterprises and Chinese distribution enterprises and supermarket system.

Also according to Deputy Director General Luu Manh Tuong, enterprises need to establish a methodical foundation from the smallest stages such as production premises, technology, raw materials and creativity to improve the quality of agricultural products in the direction of meeting the needs of consumers, meet the conditions and standards of the importing countries; diversify customers and export markets for agricultural products to avoid dependence on traditional customers and markets by improving quality, lowering prices, diversifying models, and improving packaging. Completing customs procedures soon so that when the goods are brought to the border gate, they do not have to wait, preserve and wait for export.

Enterprises producing and processing agricultural products for export also need to improve the quality of agricultural products in line with Vietnam's commitments under the current Agreement and important partner markets; close contact with Customs authorities to actively apply technology in electronic traceability of agricultural products, helping to expand export markets.

In particular, it is necessary to apply scientific and technical achievements and new technologies to post-harvest preservation and processing of agricultural products; combining physical, biological, and chemical measures into preserving agricultural products, gradually replaces the method of preserving goods so that while waiting for customs clearance, agricultural products still ensure quality and keep their original appearance to meet the requirements of the importing country.

In addition, state management agencies need to synchronize the system of infrastructure and support services to promote exports in the direction of investing in the construction of large-scale processing and manufacturing industrial zones to ensure a balance between supply and demand; soon complete comprehensive policies related to import and export activities; promote the implementation of trade promotion activities, seek to expand the market; continue to promote negotiations and agreements with relevant agencies to finalize the signing of the Protocol on Phytosanitary, etc.