According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MOAE), the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) updated Vietnam’s list of 829 durian growing area codes and 131 packaging facility codes on May 21. This brings Vietnam’s total to 1,396 growing areas eligible for export to China.
The move is expected to boost Vietnam's durian exports, as the additional codes create favourable conditions for increased shipments. However, the MOAE has urged localities and businesses to strictly comply with regulations on plant quarantine and food safety to maintain sustainable exports.
Some codes have previously been revoked due to non-compliance with technical procedures or incomplete data. As of May 21, Vietnam had submitted applications for 1,604 growing areas and 314 packaging facilities. Among these, 708 growing areas and 168 facilities were approved, while 141 growing areas and 111 packaging facilities were suspended.
Currently, only 567 growing areas and 57 packaging facilities remain eligible to export durian to China. The MOAE is working to identify the causes of the suspensions and propose solutions.
Huynh Tan Dat, director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, stressed that market requirements are becoming increasingly stringent. Even minor violations, such as chemical residue or traceability errors, could lead to code suspension and export bans.
He emphasized that each growing area code must be treated as a vital asset, representing not just eligibility for export but also the reputation and quality of Vietnamese durian.
By the end of 2024, durian growing areas nationwide reached nearly 180,000 hectares, producing about 1.5 million tonnes. In addition to China, Vietnamese durian is now available in 20 international markets, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Switzerland, the EU, and Japan.
Looking ahead, Dat said that the industry’s main objective is to enhance quality rather than expand cultivation. He also noted that many global importers are tightening technical standards related to food safety, production processes, and traceability.
To support this, the department has developed a national database for agricultural exports, requiring full declarations for each code, including production, packaging, and export details. Only shipments that match the database declarations will be cleared for exports.