Standardizing traceability: A foundation for sustainable export
Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has just issued a plan for implementing traceability of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products for a period of 2026-2030, with a vision to 2035, marking an important step in roadmap for modernizing agricultural management, meeting increasingly stringent requirements of domestic and international markets.
According to the plan, in 2026, the Ministry will pilot a traceability system for agricultural products, initially applying it to durian, one of Vietnam's billion-dollar export items. From July 1, 2026, system will be evaluated, refined and implemented for most important agricultural products used as food, ensuring provision of complete minimum information about farms, production areas, production-harvest processes, and allowing traceability through QR codes.
In addition, the Ministry will issue a unified national standard for traceability data; Pilot projects will be implemented to create planting area diaries, cultivation diaries and input control systems; gradually improving mechanisms, policies and technical infrastructure to ensure system operates stably, safely and efficiently.
During a period of 2027-2030, agricultural product traceability system will be comprehensively upgraded and perfected, allowing for recording and management of information throughout all stages from production, procurement, preliminary processing, packaging, transportation to distribution. Traceability data will be connected and synchronized with the National Traceability Portal and related databases, forming a complete interconnected system serving state management and production and business activities.
Based on standardized data, agricultural sector will gradually deploy analytical, monitoring and early warning tools; and apply artificial intelligence (AI) in quality management, food safety, and market monitoring. Simultaneously, efforts to promote and raise public awareness about traceability linked to food safety are being intensified, aiming to fundamentally change production and consumption habits.
By 2035, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment aims to comprehensively complete the agricultural product traceability system, fully updating all agricultural products, goods and agricultural supplies under its management; forming a closed, transparent traceability chain, seamlessly connected with local systems and other national databases.
Durian: A “test case” for the traceability system
Selection of durian as a pilot product for traceability is not accidental. In just 11 months of 2025, China spent nearly $7.2 billion importing durian, with Thailand and Vietnam being the two main suppliers, dominating almost the entire market. Thailand remains the largest supplier, but its market share has decreased to 50.39%. Conversely, durian import from Vietnam have increased sharply, accounting for 49.33% of total import, the highest level ever.
In an interview with Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that Vietnam's durian exports could surpass US$4 billion in 2026 thanks to a 10-20% increase in production and increasingly stable supply. In addition, Thailand, Vietnam's biggest competitor in the Chinese market, is facing difficulties due to natural disasters and floods in key growing areas, as well as increased logistics costs, which are weakening its competitiveness.
However, Mr. Nguyen also emphasized that, in order to maintain and sustainably expand market share, Vietnamese durian cannot rely solely on seasonal or geographical advantages, but needs a standardized, transparent production and export chain, in which traceability plays a key role.
Along with a launch of Vietnam Agricultural Product Traceability System, piloted on durian, the Ministry has issued a Plan for the implementation of traceability of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products for a period of 2026-2030, with a vision to 2035, which will be expanded to include businesses, organizations, and individuals in the agricultural sector, contributing to protecting consumer rights and enhancing social trust in the quality and origin of Vietnamese agricultural products.
In an interview with a reporter from Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), stated that domestic agricultural production still faces many limitations, with fragmented production scales and inconsistent quality; A segment of the population still lacks sufficient awareness regarding use of chemicals and agricultural supplies; linkages between production and consumption remain a major "bottleneck." If these issues are not fundamentally addressed, current advantages are easily eroded as the market tightens technical barriers.
Regarding traceability, new traceability model is currently in the pilot phase, with participation of a few selected businesses for testing and refinement. The biggest challenge is designing a simple, user-friendly system that encourages people to participate and change their habits of recording and updating information after each production season. To overcome this difficulty, technology system is being developed to minimize user interaction, allowing for voice input, automatic recognition and data synchronization through identification codes.
According to industry expert, traceability is not just a technical requirement, but is becoming a "passport" for Vietnamese agricultural products to enter major markets. In context of importing countries increasingly tightening controls on residue levels, food safety and information transparency, any violation could lead to risk of stricter control measures, directly impacting entire industry.
Therefore, a plan for traceability of agricultural, forestry and fishery products for a period of 2026-2030, with a vision to 2035, aims not only to meet immediate demands of the market but also to build a data and digital application ecosystem based on traceability. On this foundation, agricultural sector can promote innovation, digital transformation, improve efficiency of state management and enhance long-term competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products.
Therefore, perfecting traceability is not just a "technological problem," but a strategic step for Vietnamese agricultural products to assert their position and conquer international markets with quality, transparency and credibility.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn