Việt Nam tightens fruit inspections after warning from China

Durians being prepared for export. — Photo phunuonline.com.vn

The Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested that local authorities and relevant agencies enhance inspections and monitoring of cultivation areas and export packing facilities for fresh fruit, including durians and jackfruit.

This requirement was issued after the Department received a notification from China's General Administration of Customs regarding shipments of the fruit exported from Việt Nam.

These shipments failed to meet China's phytosanitary and food safety requirements, potentially damaging the reputation and branding of Việt Nam's agricultural products in international markets.

To address this issue, the Department is developing plans and monitoring food safety and export fruit quality standards at facilities that have been provided with codes. Facilities failing to comply with regulations will temporarily suspend the codes for growing areas and packaging facilities.

The Department also instructed cultivation areas and packing facilities to strictly adhere to inspections for pesticide residue, heavy metals and traceability as mandatory conditions for obtaining and maintaining production codes.

To assist these cultivation areas and packing facilities in protecting their production codes, the Department asked provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to inform and guide code holders.

If they allow other organisations or inpiduals to export products from their areas or facilities, they must submit a written notice to the provincial agency responsible for issuing and managing codes, including the anticipated export volume and exporter names for the year.

Upon receiving these notices, the provincial agencies must compile reports and submit them to the Plant Protection Department, while also updating the database. This information will serve as the basis for regional plant quarantine sub-departments to process phytosanitary procedures. Implementation is set to begin on January 20.

In late December 2024, the Việt Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association raised the 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.

Việt Nam has established itself as a new giant in the global durian market, with export value reaching US$3.3 billion in 2024.

According to investors’ reports, the country’s durian exports experienced a 7.8-fold increase compared to 2022, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of its total fruit and vegetable shipment value.