Lang Son develops plans to facilitate fresh fruit exports

	Lang Son Custom seeks solutions to increase customs clearance capacity at border gates
	Lang Son Customs: Facilitate clearance of agricultural products
	China tightens management of import – export through Lang Son area

Officers of Tan Thanh Customs inspect exported agricultural products. Photo: H.N

At present, theprovinces of Son La, Bac Giang and Hai Duong are harvesting a number of fresh speciality fruits such as mangoes and lychees. To increase economic value, over time, these provinces have focused on promoting the export of these fruits to China. According to the People's Committee of Lang Son, more than 80% of Son La mango Luc Ngan lychee (Bac Giang), Thanh Ha lychee (Hai Duong) are exported across provincial border gates.

For example, from the beginning of May 2020, Son La mango entered harvest season, departments and sectors of Son La province have sought businesses to implement export contracts to China market. Data from Lang Son Customs Department has shown that only in 20 days (from May 1 to 20), enterprises have carried out export procedures for 985 tonnes of mango (valued at US$360,000) across some border gates of Lang Son.

In addition to Son La mango products, fresh lychee products fromBac Giang and Hai Duong provinces are also exported to the Chinesemarket earlier than in previous years. According to Lang Son Customs Department, the volume of fresh lychee exported across Tan Thanh and Coc Nam Border Gates from May 18 to 21 exceeded 150 tonnes. In 2019, the volume of fresh lychee fruit exported to China market across Tan Thanh and Coc Nam border gates hit83,000 tonnes.

To prepare to create maximum conditions for fresh fruit exports, from the beginning of May, the People's Committee of Lang Son province has directed departments, departments, boards and sectors and competent forces at border gates to continue taking measures to support and create the best conditions for the export of speciality fresh fruits by neighbouring provinces. According to the People's Committee of Lang Son province, this time is the harvest season of mango and lychee, and the next months will be the harvest season of longan, banana and passion fruit.

Speaking to Customs News, Vy Cong Tuong, Deputy Manager of Lang Son Customs Department said that to create the best conditions for vehicles and exported fresh agricultural products, Lang Son Customs Department has requested border gate customs branches strengthen officials to receive and process declarations and quickly implement customs clearance for vehicles carrying fresh mangoes and lychee, fruits for export. Along with being prioritised for export, Lang Son Customs always ensures the clearance time for each vehicle carrying fresh mango and lychee for export is only within 3 minutes.

For the Border Guards, arepresentative of Tan Thanh Border Guard Station said the station has assigned officials on duty and classify channel for vehicles carrying fresh mangoes of Son La, lychee of Bac Giang and Hai Duong. This helps the vehicles carrying these fresh fruits donot become congested.

Nguyen Cong Truong- - Vice Chairman of Lang Son People's Committee said the policy of Lang Son province’s leaders is to create the most favourable and open conditions to attract businesses to import and export goods across border gates of Lang Son province. In particular, at the harvest season time of some speciality fruits of some localities, the provincial agencies and bordergate forces always give priority to fresh fruit such as mangoes, watermelons, lychee andlongan to export as soon as possible.

The province has also directed Lang Son Department of Industry and Trade to update new regulations on packaging, labels and traceability, and the purchasing situation of Chinese enterprises, providing timely information to the Department of Industry and Trade of the provinces to recommend businesses to regulate appropriately the volume of exported fresh fruit.