Prime Minister directs promoting sustainable durian production and export

Telegrams sent to the Ministers of the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment; Industry and Trade; Finance; Public Security; Chairmen of the People's Committees of 24 provinces and cities: Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Tien Giang, Dong Nai, Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, Gia Lai, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Binh Thuan, Kon Tum, Tay Ninh, Khanh Hoa, Ben Tre, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Duong, An Giang, Long An, Phu Yen, Kien Giang, Ninh Thuan.

The telegram stated: Durian is one of the agricultural products with a fast growth rate and high export value of Vietnam, making an important contribution to the country's fruit and vegetable export turnover. According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , in 2024, the durian area reached nearly 180,000 hectares, the output was estimated at 1.5 million tons, the export turnover reached approximately 3.2 billion USD, accounting for 47% of the total fruit and vegetable export value. The durian area increased by an average of 19.5% per year in the period 2015 - 2024 and continued to expand rapidly.

However, recently, Vietnam's durian exports have encountered many difficulties at certain times, affecting the export scale, added value, and profits of producers and exporters. The main reason is that some countries have applied additional control measures on Vietnam's durian exports; in addition, climate change is becoming increasingly complex; the rapid expansion and increase of durian acreage in some localities is posing many potential risks that affect the sustainable development of the durian industry.

Restructuring the durian industry towards improving quality and narrowing the area of ​​ineffective growing areas

To proactively respond to the above difficulties, to improve competitiveness and ensure stable and sustainable durian production and export, the Prime Minister requested the Minister of Agriculture and Environment to focus on directing durian production according to the Project on developing key fruit trees until 2025 and 2030, ensuring supply and demand, meeting the standards of domestic and export markets. Actively negotiate to open other markets for Vietnamese durian products.

Review, amend, supplement and complete regulations on management and use of codes for growing areas and packaging facilities, ensuring publicity, transparency, feasibility, consistency, and conformity with international practices and practical conditions in Vietnam; provide guidance on safe and sustainable durian production processes (to be completed in the third quarter of 2025).

At the same time, promote research, transfer, application of new technology, digital transformation in production, processing, consumption, quality management and traceability of durian, especially post-harvest treatment solutions, cold storage, deep processing to improve quality, added value and competitiveness of products.

The Minister of Agriculture and Environment organized a working session with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) on growing area codes, packaging facilities and recognition of qualified testing laboratories; agreed on the customs clearance inspection process for Vietnamese durian products exported to the Chinese market to ensure openness and convenience.

Direct the plant quarantine system at border gates to arrange adequate human resources and equipment for timely inspection and quarantine during peak harvest periods; implement measures to improve the service provision capacity of testing laboratories for export.

Restructure the durian industry towards improving quality, efficiency, added value and sustainable development; maintain reasonable scale of effective growing areas, reduce the area of ​​ineffective growing areas, expand production of high-quality products, deep processing; increase the proportion of frozen products exported, deep processing products and reduce the proportion of fresh fruit exported, overcome the situation of falling prices during the peak harvest period;

Develop and immediately implement a program to monitor the implementation of granting and managing codes for growing areas, packaging facilities, food safety and hygiene, and plant quarantine from the root for durian products.

Guide and coordinate with localities, industry associations, enterprises, packaging facilities, testing laboratories and direct durian producers to build sustainable linkage chains, review production plans towards product diversification, diversify export markets to proactively and flexibly adapt to market fluctuations; promote product branding, build a strict product traceability system, and avoid trade fraud.

Expand and develop new export markets

The Prime Minister assigned the Minister of Industry and Trade to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to build and develop a national brand for Vietnamese durian products; develop a system for identifying and consuming products through modern retail channels, e-commerce platforms and international distribution systems.

Promote the development of a stable durian distribution system in major export markets, proactively organize trade promotion activities, and connect direct trade between Vietnamese durian exporting enterprises and foreign importers, ensuring the maintenance of market share and creating sustainable competitive advantages.

Propagating and guiding Associations and enterprises to strengthen connections, promote trade promotion activities and durian exports. Directing the system of trade counselors in countries to actively survey, expand and develop new export markets for Vietnamese durian, contributing to improving the competitiveness and sustainable export of Vietnamese enterprises.

Priority customs clearance for durian shipments

The Prime Minister requested the Minister of Finance to direct the Customs Department to prioritize customs clearance procedures for durian shipments as soon as possible.

In addition, preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to research and propose financial support mechanisms, preferential credit, and tax deferral for enterprises processing and preserving durian for export; support research and application of preservation and deep processing technology.

Strictly handle acts of fraudulent growing area codes.

The Minister of Public Security directed the functional forces to investigate and strictly handle acts of fraud in growing area codes, packaging facilities; falsification of export documents and certificates and other violations of the law in the production, processing, trading and export of durian that adversely affect production and export activities.

Coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities to ensure supply chain security, prevent market manipulation, and cause instability in durian production and export.

Strengthening inspection and comprehensive supervision of durian production - packaging - consumption - export chain

The Prime Minister requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities where durian is grown to direct the organization of durian production in the area in strict compliance with the regulations, processes and instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and in accordance with actual conditions; strictly control the newly planted area, prevent the situation of overheating in scale, breaking the balance of crop structure, supply - demand balance and cases of abusing forest land, sloping land or areas that do not meet the conditions for sustainable production. Review and adjust the plan for developing durian growing areas towards concentration, large scale, favorable for the application of mechanization, high technology, meeting export standards; encourage the formation of specialized raw material areas.

At the same time, direct the management and supervision of codes for growing areas and packaging facilities in the area; organize periodic or unscheduled inspections and supervision to ensure that facilities and units granted codes comply with the provisions of Vietnamese law and meet the requirements of the import market.

Guide and support industry associations, enterprises and cooperatives to form and develop sustainable linkage chains in durian production - processing - consumption - export; have incentive mechanisms and incentives to attract investment in deep processing, cold storage, logistics, contributing to increasing added value and competitiveness of products.

Organize the implementation of food safety monitoring programs, trace the origin of durian products; actively propagate and disseminate the provisions of Vietnamese law and those of importing countries, raise awareness of compliance with laws, regulations, standards, regulations on management of growing area codes, and protection of national agricultural product brands.

Coordinate with specialized agencies and functional forces to strengthen inspection and comprehensive supervision of the durian production - packaging - consumption - export chain; guide the development of an internal monitoring system in growing areas and packaging facilities, ensuring stable operating conditions after being granted a code, and fully complying with technical regulations of Vietnam and the import market.

The Government Office, according to its assigned functions and tasks, promptly reports to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in charge on urgent and arising issues./.

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/thu-tuong-chinh-phu-chi-dao-thuc-day-san-xuat-va-xuat-khau-sau-rieng-ben-vung-102250523213526013.htm