The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has instructed specialized departments to work closely with the police to strictly handle violations such as using counterfeit phytosanitary certificates and falsifying test results to complete customs clearance procedures for fruit exports.
Agricultural produce and fruit for export at a northern border gate – Photo: C. Tuệ
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoàng Trung shared this with Tuổi Trẻ when discussing measures to control fruit quality before export to China, following the General Administration of Customs of China’s recent implementation of additional measures for Vietnamese fruit exports to this market.
Mr. Trung stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is working closely with Chinese customs. If any violations are detected or shipments are flagged, Vietnam will immediately recall and suspend exports from the offending production codes.
Absolutely no use of banned chemicals
Specifically, how have Vietnamese authorities responded?
– Immediately upon receiving the notification, MARD instructed the Plant Protection Department to actively cooperate with Chinese customs to have Vietnamese testing laboratories recognized. To date, nine laboratories have been officially approved by China.
In addition, the ministry has submitted six more applications for approval to meet export demand, as durian and many other Vietnamese fruits are currently in or approaching peak harvest with abundant supply.
MARD has also directed its specialized departments and local authorities to swiftly implement food safety management models for agricultural products, particularly regarding chemical use in growing areas and packing facilities. Localities with fruit export activities are actively rolling out these measures.
We have also required specialized departments to work closely with the police to strictly handle violations such as using counterfeit phytosanitary certificates or falsifying test results for customs clearance.
Furthermore, we are coordinating closely with Chinese customs so that, if any violations or shipment warnings are issued, Vietnam will promptly recall and suspend exports from the relevant production codes.
Some businesses remain hesitant to resume exports due to concerns about China’s post-clearance inspections. What is your message to them?
– Based on daily reports from Vietnamese plant quarantine authorities at border gates, shipments of fruit—particularly durian—are completing quarantine procedures smoothly and being exported without any truck being stuck at the border.
When entering China, inspections are carried out according to their regulations. Whether violations occur or not depends on each specific case, and China will inform us accordingly. We will then coordinate on corrective actions for any shortcomings.
However, growers and businesses must ensure that exported goods fully comply with the importing market’s requirements—particularly by strictly avoiding banned chemicals or exceeding the maximum residue limits allowed under the importer’s regulations.
The most fundamental solution is to implement comprehensive food safety control programs at the orchard, growing area, packing, processing, and storage stages.
Early implementation of control-at-source programs
With nine testing laboratories already recognized by China, can current testing demand during durian harvest season be met?
Up to now, the accredited laboratories have fully met the testing demand for exports to the Chinese market.
Following the principle that exports must not be delayed due to a lack of testing facilities or an overload of samples, the ministry has directed additional investment in human resources, equipment, and capacity for the laboratories.
We have also encouraged businesses to cooperate with the laboratories to monitor the use of active substances in line with the requirements of the importing country. This work has been going well. Recently, the two sides met and agreed on sampling methods, which has significantly reduced the number of violating shipments.
Long-term solutions to have China lift the rule
In the long run, what measures is MARD taking so China will remove this requirement?
– At China’s request, the ministry has directed relevant agencies to work with local authorities to inspect, evaluate, and identify causes and high-risk factors for residues of active substances that could exceed China’s maximum limits. We are also providing technical guidance on proper, sustainable farming practices so that farmers and businesses produce more professionally and responsibly.
We have urgently instructed the completion of technical reports (identifying causes and solutions) to send to China so that both sides can negotiate to return to the original protocol signed by the two countries—removing the need for these additional measures.
In addition, the ministry has directed the Plant Protection Department to develop and immediately implement a program to monitor residue levels of active substances in all fruit-growing areas for export, with control starting at the source.
For example, in Tiền Giang and Long An, all export fruit is now inspected and controlled at the source under this program, ensuring residue levels do not exceed China’s limits.
Sharp drop in durian exports
According to MARD, from the start of the year to February 10, Vietnam’s durian exports to China reached about 3,500 tonnes—a decrease of 80% compared to the same period last year.
Mr. Hoàng Trung said the reason is that Chinese customs has implemented additional measures for certain fruits—such as durian, jackfruit, and dragon fruit—from all exporting countries, not just Vietnam.
“The new regulation requires that fruit shipments must have test results for certain active substances of concern to China before export, and the laboratories testing these substances must be recognized by China,” Mr. Trung explained.
MARD is also completing the protocol to export pomelo, promoting the signing of protocols for passion fruit and chili (currently in pilot phase), and facilitating agreements for fresh coconut and frozen durian exports.
So far, seven Vietnamese companies have been approved by China for export, creating momentum to boost shipments.
Durian prices plunge, farmers squeezed by traders
Exactly one year ago, durian prices in the Mekong Delta surpassed 200,000 VND/kg. Now, they have fallen to only 50,000–80,000 VND/kg, depending on type, leaving farmers struggling.
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Lợi (41), from Bình Phú township, Cai Lậy district, said his family recently sold over 1 tonne of Thai durian to traders for 39,000 VND/kg—less than one-fifth of last year’s price.
“Last year, with the same area, I earned over 200 million VND. Now, it’s only a little over 40 million,” he said bitterly, adding that at this price, farmers make no profit.
Mr. Tùng, a resident of Cái Bè District, Tiền Giang Province, successfully cultivated off-season durians this year, selling them before the 2025 Lunar New Year and earning more than 2 billion VND in profit after deducting expenses – Photo: MẬU TRƯỜNG
According to Mr. Lợi, unfavorable weather this year led to high fertilizer and pesticide costs for durian trees, yet yields were still lower than in previous years. Growers had only hoped for high selling prices to offset losses, but no one expected durian prices to drop so sharply.
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Bảy (another orchard owner in the same area) recently closed a deal with traders to sell over 3 tons of durians from his orchard at 30,000 VND/kg. The reason his durians were priced lower than others was due to uneven fruit quality.
“In the past, traders bought durians from my orchard very easily, but now they find all sorts of reasons to push prices down. They claim the durians aren’t visually appealing, that the spikes are unattractive… just to force the price lower,” Mr. Bảy said.
According to observations on the same day in several areas of Cai Lậy District, Cai Lậy Town, Cái Bè District (Tiền Giang Province) and Châu Thành District (Bến Tre Province), many wholesale fruit depots were buying Grade A Thai durians for 78,000–80,000 VND/kg (2.7 compartments, weighing from 1.9 to 5.2 kg), Grade B for 58,000–60,000 VND/kg (2.5 compartments, from 1.7 to 5.5 kg). Meanwhile, some depots were buying mixed durians (large and small together) at 52,000 VND/kg.
According to a durian trading business in Cai Lậy District, although operations resumed after the Lunar New Year, the company is still running at a low capacity due to ongoing risks in exporting durians to China.
Production is no longer abundant
Statistics show that the Mekong Delta is the second-largest durian-growing region in the country (after the Central Highlands), with over 33,000 hectares and a yield of 371,000 tons, accounting for more than 43% of Vietnam’s total durian output.
Tiền Giang Province alone has the largest durian-growing area in the region, at around 21,790 hectares. Bến Tre Province has about 2,000 hectares of durian orchards.
Mr. Huỳnh Quang Đức, Deputy Director of the Bến Tre Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that since most of the province’s durians are sold domestically, they have not been significantly affected by the price drop.
In addition, durian growers in Bến Tre typically stagger their harvests and had already sold their produce before the 2025 Lunar New Year, so there are currently few orchards with fruit left. In Tiền Giang, off-season durians harvested and sold before Tet fetched prices of over 100,000 VND/kg.
Source: CHÍ TUỆ – MẬU TRƯỜNG, Tuổi Trẻ Newspaper
