Fraudulent planting area codes threaten Việt Nam’s durian exports

Workers wrap up and label durians. — Photo laodong.vn

The Việt Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VINAFRUIT) has raised alarm over the illegal replication and misuse of planting area and packaging facility codes for durians.

This fraudulent activity, involving unauthorised contracts, counterfeit stamps, and forged signatures, aims to bypass regulatory inspections and export durians to China.

VINAFRUIT strongly condemned these violations, emphasising the damage caused to Việt Nam’s durian industry’s reputation and the trust of Chinese and international consumers. The association also highlighted the negative impact on legitimate producers and exporters.

“Importing countries may tighten inspections on Vietnamese durians, and there is a risk that China could revoke granted codes due to quality violations,” warned Đặng Phúc Nguyên, General Secretary of VINAFRUIT.

In response, VINAFRUIT has called for heightened monitoring and inspections of packaging and exporting facilities. The association urged authorities to impose severe penalties on offenders and publicly disclose violating businesses. Enhanced collaboration with import authorities was also recommended to combat commercial fraud effectively.

Despite these challenges, Việt Nam’s durian exports reached an impressive US$3.13 billion by the end of November, marking a 44 per cent year-on-year increase, according to customs statistics. China remains Việt Nam’s largest market, accounting for over 90 per cent of durian exports, valued at $2.8 billion.

This robust growth has significantly contributed to the fruit and vegetable sector surpassing US$7.2 billion in export revenue this year, solidifying Việt Nam’s position as a key player in the global agricultural export market.