Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen - General Secretary of Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit) - said that durian export in the first month of this year continued to grow well, first of all, thanks to high demand from the Chinese market. At the same time, durian output earlier this year increased thanks to durian growers in many provinces such as Tien Giang, Vinh Long... successfully applying techniques to make durian bloom off-season.
Currently, China is the largest export market for Vietnamese durian products. According to Chinese statistics, in the first quarter of 2024, China through Huu Nghi Quan border gate imported 48,000 tonnes of durian, worth 1.85 billion yuan (about 2.56 million USD). Among them, Vietnam's durian import have increased sharply, reaching 35,000 tonnes, worth 1.28 billion yuan (about 1.77 million USD).
In 2023, China spent 2.1 billion USD to buy 493,000 tonnes of Vietnamese durian, an increase of 1,036% in value and 1,107% in volume compared to 2022. Vietnam's durian market share in total imports of China from 5% in 2022 to increase sharply to 34.6% in 2023.
Regarding the fact that 30 shipments of Vietnamese durian exported to China were contaminated with heavy metal cadmium exceeding limit of this country's food safety regulations, Mr. Huynh Tan Dat - Director of Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) - said that after receiving the warning, Plant Protection Department asked localities and enterprises to review. Along with that, set up an inspection team to take samples in durian growing areas on the cadmium warning list.
The delegation thoroughly examined soil samples, water, fertilizers, supplies, growth stimulants, durian treatment chemicals... As a result, no samples were found to exceed cadmium threshold as China warned.
Mr. Huynh Tan Dat said that Plant Protection Department is synthesizing information to report to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, then will hold a meeting with Chinese authorities; press conference to widely inform the people and authorities in the country.
According to requirements of General Department of Customs of China and Vietnam's regulations on food safety traceability for warned shipments, Mr. Huynh Tan Dat therefore requested enterprises with violating shipments to comply with regulations on traceability, recall and handling of unsafe food under management of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Plant Protection Department also requested Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tien Giang, Lang Son, Dong Nai, Dak Lak and Hanoi provinces direct specialized agencies to urge and supervise enterprises to trace shipments.
In order for Vietnamese durian to stand firm in the world market, especially Chinese market, in face of increasingly fierce competitive pressure from Thailand and Malaysia...Mr. Hoang Trung - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development – said that ensuring quality of exported durian is the top task today.
Faced with "hot" growth in durian area in many provinces and across the country, Mr. Hoang Trung requested that in the coming time, agencies under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development need to coordinate with localities. Method reviews durian growing areas to see which places are suitable to continue developing this crop, reviewing the entire durian farming process. In particular, a new set of national standards for fresh durian fruit must be developed. This standard must be legal to provide a basis for competent agencies and local governments to conduct inspection, supervision and handling violations.
Localities must strengthen supervision of all growing area codes and packaging facility codes so that quality of growing area codes and packaging facility codes is always maintained and promptly verified and remedied. Errors in growing area codes and packaging facility codes are warned. At the same time, promoting formation of sustainable durian value chains in the area.

L. Giang
Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn