Exports fell by 80%.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), as of mid-February, Vietnam had only exported about 3,500 tons of durian, a decrease of 80% compared to the same period last year.
As a fruit that drives the export value of the entire fruit and vegetable industry, when durian exports decline, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export value also decreases.
According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export turnover reached only $416 million in January, a decrease of 11.3% compared to the previous month and 5.2% compared to the same period in 2024.
The sharp drop in durian exports is due to China tightening its inspection of durian for the Yellow O substance. During import and export procedures, the Chinese side will take samples and inspect 100% of the shipment; only if there is no residue of Yellow O will the goods be cleared for customs.
In addition, Vietnamese durian exported to the European Union (EU) will also face increased border inspection frequency from 10% to 20% due to repeated non-compliance with regulations on pesticide residue levels.
Recently, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced that it will extend the enhanced inspection order for durian imported from Vietnam. Specifically, to ensure food safety for imported products, Taiwan will continue to apply batch-by-batch inspection measures to fresh durian imported from Vietnam until April 30th.
Previously, the TFDA issued a requirement to inspect every batch of fresh durian imported from Vietnam from August 12, 2024 to February 11, 2025, after discovering four batches that did not meet standards within the last six months.
Urgent measures needed to restore durian's position.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development believes that increased inspection measures by other countries on imported durian are necessary steps to ensure food safety for consumers. However, China's mandatory inspection of all imported durian shipments has created many difficulties for Vietnamese durian exporters and growers.
To address this situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is negotiating with China to reinstate durian exports in accordance with the protocol signed by the two countries.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also advised businesses to strictly implement inspection measures as prescribed by China. To ensure that there is no congestion due to a shortage of testing laboratories, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is strengthening the testing capacity of 9 laboratories in Vietnam that are accredited by China, and is continuing to send an additional 6 sets of documents to the laboratories awaiting accreditation.
According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, the current problems facing the durian industry are very worrying, not only due to the decline in exports but also to the handling of durian shipments that do not meet food safety standards. Specifically, when durian shipments are rejected for customs clearance due to food safety concerns, they are often resold at lower prices to consumers. If this issue is not strictly controlled, the domestic market will also lose confidence in durian.
The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association recommends that durian growers change their farming methods, avoid the overuse of imported fertilizers of unknown origin, and that packaging facilities change post-harvest preservation technologies to ensure food safety for consumers and comply with export regulations. In addition, the association hopes that relevant authorities will soon intervene to resolve the current problems facing the durian industry.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced that it is currently implementing a nationwide chemical residue monitoring program to control the quality of fruits and agricultural products right from the production stage, thereby ensuring that products meet standards for export. This is expected to contribute to strengthening the confidence of both domestic and international markets in this "billion-dollar" fruit.
Source: https://baodaknong.vn/sau-rieng-dang-lam-nguy-243334.html
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