4 months, durian export earns over half a billion USD

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), it is estimated that in the first 4 months of 2024, durian exports will reach over 500 million USD, an increase of about 30% over the same period last year.

In the first 4 months of 2024, durian exports earned over half a billion USD

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen - General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit) - said that durian exports in the first months of this year continued to grow well, primarily thanks to the high demand from the Chinese market. At the same time, durian output increased early this year thanks to durian growers in many provinces such as Tien Giang , Vinh Long... successfully applying techniques to help durian flower out of season.

China is currently the largest export market for Vietnamese durian. According to Chinese statistics, in the first quarter of 2024, China imported 48,000 tons of durian through Huu Nghi Quan border gate, worth 1.85 billion yuan (about 2.56 million USD). Of which, the import volume of Vietnamese durian increased sharply, reaching 35,000 tons, worth 1.28 billion yuan (about 1.77 million USD).

In 2023, China spent 2.1 billion USD to buy 493 thousand tons of durian from Vietnam, an increase of 1,036% in value and 1,107% in volume compared to 2022. The market share of Vietnamese durian in China's total imports increased sharply from 5% in 2022 to 34.6% in 2023.

Regarding the fact that 30 shipments of Vietnamese durian exported to China were contaminated with heavy metal cadmium exceeding the country's food safety regulations, Mr. Huynh Tan Dat - Director of the Plant Protection Department ( Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ) - said that after receiving the warning, the Plant Protection Department requested localities and businesses to review. Along with that, an inspection team was set up to take samples in durian growing areas on the list of cadmium contamination warnings.

The delegation thoroughly inspected samples of soil, water, fertilizers, materials, growth stimulants, and durian treatment chemicals... As a result, no samples were found to exceed the cadmium threshold as China warned.

Mr. Huynh Tan Dat said that the Plant Protection Department is synthesizing information to report to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, then will hold a meeting with Chinese authorities; hold a press conference to widely inform the people and authorities in the country.

According to the request of the General Administration of Customs of China and Vietnam's regulations on food safety traceability for warned shipments, Mr. Huynh Tan Dat therefore requested that businesses with violating shipments must comply with the regulations on traceability, recall and handling of unsafe food under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Plant Protection Department also requested the Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tien Giang, Lang Son, Dong Nai, Dak Lak and Hanoi provinces to direct specialized agencies to urge and supervise businesses to trace the warned shipments.

In order for Vietnamese durian to stand firm in the world market, especially the Chinese market, in the face of increasingly fierce competition from Thailand, Malaysia, etc., Mr. Hoang Trung - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - said that ensuring the quality of exported durian is the top priority today.

Faced with the "hot" growth in durian acreage in many provinces and across the country, Mr. Hoang Trung requested that in the coming time, agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development need to coordinate with localities to review durian growing areas to see which places are suitable for continuing to develop this crop, and review the entire durian cultivation process. In particular, it is necessary to develop a new set of national standards for fresh durian, these standards must be legal to provide a basis for competent agencies and local authorities to conduct inspections, supervision and handle violations.

Localities must strengthen the supervision of all growing area codes and packing facility codes so that the quality of growing area codes and packing facility codes is always maintained, promptly verify and correct errors in warning growing area codes and packing facility codes. At the same time, promote the formation of sustainable durian value chains in the area.

Currently, Vietnam's fresh durian is being exported to 22 countries and territories; frozen durian is being exported to 23 countries and territories. Vietnam is negotiating to export fresh durian to the Indian market and frozen durian to the Chinese market.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/4-thang-xuat-khau-sau-rieng-thu-ve-tren-nua-ty-usd-319639.html