Lang Son: Flexible solutions to accelerate customs clearance of fresh fruit exports

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Flow of goods soars

According to statistics from Lang Son Customs Department, in the first quarter of 2024, the Department recorded over US$13.1 billion, an increase of 30.7% year-on-year.

Of which, exports of fresh fruit alone soared more than 61% year-on-year to nearly US$1 million tons. The major products are dragon fruit, durian, watermelon, mango, jackfruit are exported through Tan Thanh border gate and Huu Nghi international border gate. In the first 12 days of April 2024 alone, the output of fresh fruit exported through border gates in the area reached more than 200,000 tons.

Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch arranges officers to work until 10-11 p.m. Photo: H.Nu

Along with that, the volume of trucks carrying goods going through customs clearance at Huu Nghi international border gate and Tan Thanh border gate surged, accounting for 90% of the total number of import-export trucks in the area, on average about 1,000 vehicles/day, at peak up to 1,200 vehicles/day.

Talking to Customs Magazine reporters, Mr. Nong Quang Hung, Deputy Director of Tan Thanh Customs Branch (Lang Son Customs Department) said that at this time, on average every day, the Branch carries out customs clearance procedures for 210 trucks carrying fresh fruit, and 270 trucks on a peak day (April 10). Accordingly, the amount of exported agricultural products and fruits arranged 8,000 to 10,000 tons/day, an increase of more than 50% compared to the end of 2023.

To facilitate fast customs clearance, avoid costs and time, and minimize damage to enterprises' goods, from the beginning of 2024 until now, Tan Thanh Customs Branch has established a specialized team to support businesses exporting fresh fruits through border gates. At the same time, the branch has closely followed the activities of fresh fruit exporters to guide the implementation of customs procedures and promptly solve problems. Therefore, the customs clearance time for each shipment of fresh fruit takes less than one minute.

At Huu Nghi international border gate, Huu Nghi border gate Customs Branch has been actively coordinating with other management agencies to prioritize for fresh fruit shipments; agreed with Chinese authorities to extend customs clearance time to 20 hours daily to improve customs clearance efficiency. The efforts of Huu Nghi Border Gate Customs Branch have helped the number of vehicles transporting agricultural products and fresh fruits through customs clearance within a day at this time reach 160 vehicles or more, up about 70 vehicles compared to the early March 2024.

Making efforts and offering flexible solutions

It is forecasted that in the coming time, the flow of goods to Lang Son province's border gates will increase, especially for fresh fruits because they are currently in harvest time. Therefore, at this time, the management agencies have to extend working hours at the border gate; strengthen foreign relations, coordinate with corresponding agencies on the Chinese side... to ensure smooth import-export activities.

Tan Thanh Customs officials guide businesses to package exported lychee products according to standards. Photo: H.Nu

Mr. Hoang Khanh Duy, Deputy Head of the Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board has directed the Border Gate, said that to improve the efficiency of customs clearance of trucks carrying goods in general, especially fresh fruit exports in particular, the unit has coordinated with relevant agencies, departments and branches of the province and management agencies at border gates to discuss directly with the management agencies of Guangxi (China), thereby agreeing to jointly deploy solutions to facilitate customs clearance.

The clearest evidence is that the authorities of both sides have agreed to proactively exchange information between the two sides to flexibly extend the border gate opening time for customs clearance. Accordingly, some border gates extend working hours to 8:00 p.m. daily, and some border gates extend working hours to 9:00 p.m. In particular, currently, two border gates with a large number of fresh fruit trucks going customs clearance as Huu Nghi international border gate and Tan Thanh border gate, work on Saturday and Sunday.

At the same time, the Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board has directed the Border Gate Management Center to proactively work with forces at the border gate, built a plan to coordinate with the Border Guard force to regulate the traffic, creating a separate flow of export and import goods, including a separate area for vehicles carrying exported fresh fruits in the parking lots at the border gate to facilitate movement from the parking lot to the border gate area for customs clearance.

With the flexible implementation of solutions of competent agencies of the province, the number of trucks carrying fresh fruits for export clearance about 400 vehicles/day, nearly doubling compared to the late February, early March 2024. This helps fresh fruit shipments ensure quality when sold to Chinese partner businesses.