Lang Son Customs strengthens inspection and quarantine for exported fresh fruits

	Lang Son: Strictly handle acts of smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeit goods
	Lang Son Customs holds meeting with Nanning Customs

Officers of Tan Thanh Customs instruct enterprises to pack lychee products for export. Photo: H.Nu

Currently, Lang Son province has six border gates operating customs clearance for imports and exports, including Tan Thanh, Chi Ma, Coc Nam, Na Hinh, Huu Nghi and Dong Dang International Railway Station Border Gate.

Fresh fruits are mainly cleared for import and export across Tan Thanh Border Gate and Huu Nghi International Border Gate. Lang Son Customs has closely coordinated with the Plant Quarantine Agency to comply with the process and procedures for inspection and quarantine, and facilitate agricultural importers and exporters.

At Tan Thanh border gate, about 300 vehicles carrying fresh fruits are cleared on average per day, including jackfruit, dragon fruit, durian...

To be eligible for export, these agricultural products must meet standards of quality, traceability, growing area code, packing facility code, food hygiene and safety and other regulations. Therefore, Tan Thanh Customs and the local Quarantine agency have implemented operational measures to support businesses, and limit the returning of the vehicles to the domestic market due to failing to satisfy the export criteria.

Regarding plant quarantine, the quarantine force at Tan Thanh Border Gate has increased the frequency of inspection for all agricultural products for stricter control. Accordingly, to improve accuracy and objectivity, Tan Thanh Border Gate Plant Quarantine Station has used a scanner system and supporting equipment for analysis and evaluation of sample quality and sample preservation system. Therefore, any shipment that fails meet the criteria for quarantine, Tan Thanh Plant Quarantine Agency will not issue the export permit.

In addition, to create favorable conditions, Tan Thanh Border Gate Plant Quarantine Station has arranged human and material resources to maintain overtime working, creating operational efficiency, thereby reducing the customs clearance time for enterprises. The Station has actively disseminated and notified the business community to well comply with the quarantine regulations before exporting products.

According to the Plant Quarantine Branch of Region VII, after the enterprise submits the application for registration and is received by the Quarantine agency, the inspection of the sample will be conducted. Based on the results of the inspection of the dossier, the Plant Quarantine Agency will decide the quarantine location at the border gate.

If the sample meets the phytosanitary requirements of the importing country, the Quarantine agency will issue a phytosanitary certificate to the enterprise. In case of detecting the sample failing to meet the requirements, the agency will not issue a certificate and will notify the enterprise for handling measures.

Deputy Manager of Tan Thanh Customs Branch Phung Van Ba said that the branch had listed the exported fruits that are given priority in customs clearance immediately upon arrival at the border gate. Accordingly, the Customs authority does not carry out physical inspection for fresh fruits, but only checks the declaration dossiers after the customs clearance.

However, some export enterprises had to bring their goods back to the country because they fail to meet the quarantine criteria and the error in the planting area code.

In order to minimize the risk of goods being returned to the inland, Tan Thanh Customs and Tan Thanh Plant Quarantine Agency have strengthened exchanges and cooperation to assess labels, planting areas, pests and diseases by specialized methods, thereby avoiding risks and limiting economic losses in the circulation of export goods.

According to Deputy Manager of Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch Pham Thanh Cam, fresh fruit items are prioritized under the Green channel, so the branch used a container scanner to check in detail these products.

In order to create maximum convenience for goods exporters and fresh fruit exporters, Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch has arranged officers to perform overtime work to clear goods for enterprises; maintained a working team to deal with daily procedural problems; regularly contacted with enterprises to understand difficulties and remove obstacles for enterprises.

For fresh fruit exporters, the branch has also required them to strictly abide by the growing area code and packaging label standards, to ensure the quality of goods to avoid returned goods