The Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) has just issued a document requesting the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tien Giang, Lang Son, Dong Nai, Dak Lak, Hanoi provinces and related businesses and agencies to trace the exported durian shipments that China has warned about.

The document stated that the Plant Protection Department received a warning from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Department, General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) about 30 shipments of Vietnamese durian exported to China being contaminated with heavy metal cadmium exceeding the food safety regulations of this country.

According to GACC's requirements and Vietnam's regulations on food safety traceability for warned shipments, the Plant Protection Department requests that businesses with violating shipments must comply with regulations on traceability, recall and handling of unsafe food under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

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Many shipments of Vietnamese durian exported to the Chinese market have been warned. Illustration photo: Manh Khuong

In addition, businesses must investigate the cause, trace the warned shipments, review all records, production, collection and export processes of the business (provide the shipment collection contract, list of collection facilities, gardens supplying the shipment, list of pesticides and fertilizers used in the gardens supplying the shipment);

The organization shall take corrective actions and apply preventive measures to avoid recurrence of violations. Then, submit a report of the results to the Plant Protection Department before April 1, 2024.

The Plant Protection Department requested the Department of Food Safety of Ho Chi Minh City and 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.

Along with that, verify the report on the cause of the warned shipment and the business's remedial measures; review the conditions for ensuring food safety at food production and trading establishments with warned shipments according to the provisions of law.

The report with related documents must be sent to the Plant Protection Department to have a basis for responding to GACC before April 3, 2024, to avoid the importing country having conclusions that affect agricultural exports.

Currently, China is the largest export market for Vietnamese durian. 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. The average imported durian price from Vietnam reached 4,332.2 USD/ton.

Thanks to the favorable official export of durian to the Chinese market, the price of this fruit of our country has also increased sharply. Currently, the price of Ri6 durian is at 65,000-136,000 VND/kg; Monthong durian is priced at 95,000-210,000 VND/kg; Musang King durian is at 160,000-190,000 VND/kg.

Thanks to the good durian harvest and price, gardeners have made a big profit. Because 1 hectare of durian can bring in a profit of 1-2.5 billion VND depending on the type and time.

Durian has also become a billion-dollar fruit of Vietnam. Our country's durian exports are also expected to earn 3 billion USD this year.

Durian: 1 capital 5 profits: Vietnamese tycoons compete to grow, expected to earn thousands of billions in profits . Not only farmers but also Vietnamese tycoons such as Mr. Duc, billionaire Tran Ba ​​Duong... are also competing to grow durian when this tree is giving a profit of 1.2-3 billion VND/ha. This is a product with "super huge" profits in the agricultural industry today.