Morning of May 22, Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) announced the latest information on the issuance of codes for growing areas and packaging facilities for durian officially exported to China. Accordingly, in the review on May 21, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) approved an additional 829 growing area codes and 131 packaging facility codes, all of which are new codes. Thus, up to now, Vietnam has had 1,396 growing area codes and 188 packaging facilities approved by GACC.

This information is not only of technical significance, but also represents a substantial step forward in the chain of efforts to standardize production and improve the capacity to manage the quality of agricultural products in Vietnam. According to Director Huynh Tan Dat, the process of close cooperation between Vietnam and China The recent past has shown growing trust from the import market in Vietnam’s capacity to monitor, trace and ensure food safety.

“The approval of nearly 1,000 new codes is the result of a chain of systemic movements, from farmers, businesses, to management agencies,” Mr. Dat affirmed.

Not only does it mean expanding the export scale, the move from GACC is considered a positive signal for the durian season, which is entering its peak, harvested from July to November. With the increasingly expanded code system, businesses and localities have more tools to regulate harvest and export plans, avoid congestion at border gates and reduce price risks.

At the same time, the issuance of codes creates favorable conditions for the implementation of signed contracts between people and businesses, limiting competition in buying and selling. “From now on, spreading crops is not only a farming technique, but also a market strategy,” Mr. Dat emphasized.

However, opportunities also come with challenges. Code approval is only an entry condition. To survive, durian growers must strictly adhere to the cultivation process, post-harvest handling and packaging as committed. That requires the entire system, from cooperatives, enterprises, to each farming household, to raise awareness and voluntarily do the right thing.

“Chinese consumers are very fond of Vietnamese durian, but they are also very demanding. Having a code does not mean peace of mind, but rather we must tighten discipline and maintain our reputation,” the head of the Department emphasized.

Raising awareness of responsible farming

The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection has recommended that businesses and cooperatives continue to maintain strict production, packaging and quarantine processes, in accordance with the registered documents with your side. This not only helps maintain the market, but also serves as a basis for expansion to other demanding markets.

Once growers, businesses and local authorities regard each code as a prestigious “passport”, protected and used with the highest responsibility, the market door will not only open once, but will open permanently. And then, not only durian, The entire Vietnamese agricultural industry will enter a new phase, where quality, standardization and reputation are the keys that lead to all market doors.

Dealing with the root cause of the problem

Regarding the information about heavy metal residues in exported durian, Mr. Huynh Tan Dat said that as soon as there was a warning from the importing country, the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection immediately sent many inspection teams to key growing areas. Initial results showed that the highest risk was concentrated in some localities in the Southwest region.
According to preliminary analysis, there are two main reasons for Cadmium residue on durian exceeding the threshold:

“We have clearly recommended: absolutely do not use fertilizers containing Cadmium. We need to change the way of thinking: soil is the ‘lungs’ of the tree, if the soil is not clean, the fruit will also be difficult to grow,” Mr. Dat emphasized. We need a standard ecosystem, not just a few good farmers. Acknowledging the fact that there are still many spontaneous new growing areas, Mr. Dat said that this is a big challenge for the industry in synchronizing the production process. Durian is a product with very high economic value, but also requires strict and stable technical processes. “We cannot do it in the way that others grow it and then grow it ourselves. If the seedlings are not guaranteed, the soil is not suitable, and the fertilizer is not standard, how can we produce fruit that meets export standards?”, the Department leader worried.

Therefore, the Department is developing a set of specific standard guidelines, especially for new growing areas. In addition, a national soil nutrient map for durian cultivation is also being designed to guide people in determining the correct soil type, avoiding waste and errors from the root. At the same time, data from this map will be integrated into the national database of growing areas, making management and traceability more convenient and transparent.

To ensure input quality, especially control of heavy metal residues, the Department has provided a clear inspection roadmap, including 4 steps:

Each step is a barrier, but must be operated in conjunction, not separately, to form a “control belt” around the plant, right from when it is still a handful of soil.Not only tightening the management of materials, the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection is implementing a series of soil improvement models associated with the realities of each region. This is a sustainable direction, aiming to completely handle the risk of heavy metal accumulation in soil and plants.

According to Mr. Dat, 3 groups of solutions are being tested in seven typical models, including:

This is not only a technique, but also a reminder: if you want to export long-term, you must start with your thinking, you cannot just rely on “one good season”.