Brian Jeffrey
The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, has submitted documentation for 1,604 durian cultivation zones and 314 packaging facilities to the GACC. As of May 21, the GACC has refreshed its approval list, adding 829 new cultivation area codes and 131 packaging facility codes from Vietnam.
In an interview with VietNamNet, Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, confirmed that these codes have received recent approval from Chinese authorities.
As of May 21, Vietnam boasts over 1,400 officially sanctioned growing area codes (after removal of some codes), qualifying them for formal export to China.
The GACC indicated that broadening this list will facilitate the increase of durian exports to China. It is urged that local authorities and enterprises proactively take advantage of this opportunity while rigorously adhering to phytosanitary and food safety standards to ensure sustainable growth in exports.
In recent years, durian farming in Vietnam has seen substantial growth, now encompassing nearly 180,000 hectares. The national durian production is projected to exceed 1.55 million tons by 2025.
However, current regulations stipulate that only durians from GACC-approved cultivation areas are permitted in the Chinese market. Therefore, the introduction of new approved codes significantly enhances Vietnam’s potential for increasing its durian exports to China.
Officials from the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection stressed that the standards of the Chinese market are becoming more rigorous. Even slight infractions regarding chemical residues or traceability can result in the revocation of a growing area’s export privileges. Thus, maintaining the integrity of each growing area code is crucial—it’s an essential requirement for exporting durians to this lucrative market of a billion consumers.
