China recognises 829 growing area codes for Vietnamese durian
The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) on May 21 updated its records to include 829 growing area codes and 131 packing facility codes for Vietnamese durian, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s Plant Production and Protection Department.
The department underlined that this is a positive development for Vietnamese durian, especially in the context of declining export turnover compared to the same period last year.
It noted that the expansion of this list creates favourable conditions to boost Vietnamese durian exports to the Chinese market.
Local authorities and businesses are urged to proactively seize this opportunity while strictly adhering to regulations on plant quarantine and food safety to ensure sustainable export growth.
In the first four months of 2025, Vietnam’s durian exports to China reached only about 130 million USD, equivalent to 35,000 tonnes. This represents a sharp decline compared to over 500 million USD during the same period in 2024.
The main reason for this drop is China's tightening of phytosanitary and food safety inspections, requiring that 100% of shipments be accompanied by test certificates from accredited laboratories. This has caused many exporters to temporarily suspend transactions to complete documentation, disrupting the supply chain.
The decline in export demand has led to a significant drop in domestic durian prices.
At a meeting on May 8 to address the challenges facing durian exports, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy instructed the implementation of urgent measures to restore export activity.
Accordingly, the ministry will coordinate with Chinese customs authorities to resolve technical issues and accelerate the process of assigning growing area codes and approving packing facilities. Simultaneously, the ministry will urgently develop a plant quarantine protocol for durian to support exports throughout 2025.
