Dak Lak province resolves difficulties for 2,000 containers of durian and tackles technical barriers to export.

The incident involving thousands of durian containers being held up at border crossings due to technical barriers serves as a warning about food safety standards and traceability of agricultural products.

Báo Nghệ An•15/02/2026

The incident involving nearly 2,000 containers of durian from Dak Lak being held up on their way to China due to testing centers closing for maintenance has become a "red alert" regarding compliance with technical regulations. To find a solution to this problem, Mr. Do Tuan Hung, Head of the Sub-Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Product Quality Management (Dak Lak Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment), has provided in-depth analysis of the roadmap to overcome this challenge for local agricultural products.

Despite great potential, export turnover still faces challenges.

Dak Lak possesses ideal natural conditions for the development of commercial agriculture, with a total cultivated area estimated at 800,000 hectares. Among these, perennial industrial crops and fruit trees such as coffee, pepper, and durian hold a leading position nationwide. The livestock sector has also recorded strong growth, with a total livestock and poultry population reaching nearly 23.4 million head and meat production reaching nearly 314,000 tons.

Although the value of agricultural exports has been continuously increasing, the actual export turnover remains limited because businesses are often caught off guard by technical barriers. Mr. Do Tuan Hung stated that regulations on technical standards and traceability are essentially tools to move towards a transparent market, green and clean production, and protect the rights of global consumers.

Lessons from the durian market: When the "king" fruit receives a warning.

Durian is currently the fastest-growing export commodity, but it is 90% dependent on the Chinese market. From a market once considered "easygoing," China now demands strict adherence to the Plant Quarantine Protocol. Shipments must have a planting area code, a packing facility code, and meet stringent standards regarding pesticide residue and heavy metals.

Farmers in Ea Knuếch commune (Đắk Lắk province) harvest durian.

Notably, new requirements for controlling cadmium (Cd) and auramine O residues are putting significant pressure on producers. Due to the failure to meet these requirements promptly, the export value of durian at the beginning of this year's season only reached about 30% compared to last year. In Dak Lak, although many shipments were flagged as originating from other provinces but registered locally, the reputation of the province's agricultural products has been severely affected.

A warehouse for packing durian for export in Krông Pắk commune (Đắk Lắk).

Proactively build internal technical barriers.

In response to this situation, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dak Lak province has implemented several urgent solutions. In 2024, after inspecting 42 durian samples, all results met the permissible food safety standards according to Chinese standards. Notably, on May 24, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee coordinated the organization of a Conference on Sustainable Durian Industry Development to find solutions to address the difficulties related to cadmium and yellow dye residues.

Scientifically , the province has approved a research project on the causes of heavy metal accumulation in durian fruit starting in 2025. Simultaneously, the Dak Lak Durian Association is collaborating with the Western Highlands Agro-Forestry Science Institute (WASI) to collect samples and assess safe production areas in preparation for the next harvest season.

5 fundamental solutions to overcome technical barriers.

To ensure sustainable export of Vietnamese agricultural products in general and those from Dak Lak in particular, Mr. Do Tuan Hung proposed the following main groups of solutions:

Promoting good production practices: Encouraging farmers and businesses to implement clean agricultural practices, ensuring safety from the cultivation stage.
Building a sustainable supply chain: Unifying efforts between farmers, packing facilities, and export businesses to end bidding wars and deposit forfeitures.
Enhance on-site monitoring: Conduct sampling and testing at the designated growing area and packaging facility before harvest to ensure compliance with international standards.
Enhancing traceability responsibility: Strictly applying geographical indications and trademarks of Vietnamese agricultural products to protect reputation in the international market.
Investing in testing infrastructure: Building internationally standardized testing centers right in raw material producing regions such as the Central Highlands and moving towards implementing on-site customs procedures to minimize the risk of congestion.