(PLO)- China has officially imported durian and the two countries’ authorities will strictly control the code of the planting and packing area.
On September 17, durian farmers across the country were happy when the first shipment of fresh durian from Dak Lak was officially exported to China (China).
This is an important event for Vietnamese agricultural products (VN) because China is the world’s largest durian consumption market. But along with that is the worry of impersonation, fraud on planting and packaging areas that many businesses have faced.
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Krong Pak district, Dak Lak province has been granted about 35 area codes for growing durian trees for export to China. In the photo: Farmers in Krong Pak district harvest durian. Photo: VO LONG |
Lessons from the mango
A few days before this event, the Plant Quarantine Sub-Department of Region 7 (Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) recorded 18 durian containers of enterprises gathered in Lang Son waiting to be exported to China. the problem of recording the origin of the growing area.
According to the protocol signed by the two sides, all durian growing areas as well as packing facilities for export to China must be registered with the Plant Protection Department (MARD) and approved by both MARD and the General Administration of Customs of China. (GACC) approval. Registration information must include name, address and code. Before the first shipment is exported, MARD must submit to GACC a list of registered growers and packers for approval. This list is posted on the GACC website.
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| Customs and phytosanitary officers inspect the first shipment of durian from Vietnam officially exported through China at Huu Nghi border gate, Lang Son. Photo: VAN VIET |
However, in the 18 containers of durian mentioned above, these enterprises have not officially registered for phytosanitary procedures; the consignments with the planting area code and the packing facility are in Tien Giang province, while the enterprises authorized to export have addresses in Cao Loc district, Lang Son province and Cai Be district, Tien Giang province.
However, when checking and verifying, the unit owning the planting area code confirmed that it did not have an authorization to use the code to carry out export procedures. In fact, in these gardens, durian has not yet produced fruit or is having young fruit, so this shipment has been proposed to be brought back for domestic consumption.
This incident reminds many people of the story that Kim Nhung Co., Ltd., My Xuong Mango Cooperative … in Dong Thap were suddenly banned from exporting mangoes to China.
Accordingly, Kim Nhung Company has been granted a packager’s code to export to China since 2018. In 2019, the company’s packaging code was “stolen” by other businesses to be used for a series of batches. mango exports and by June 2020, the packing code of Kim Nhung Company was removed from the recognized list.
It is necessary to well manage the code of the growing area and the packing facility because when China and Vietnam detect fraud, they will ban the export and import of durian.
Talking to Ho Chi Minh City Law, Ms. Dinh Thi My Nhung, Deputy Director of the company, said that so far the company’s packing code has not been restored by the Chinese side, more than 100 hectares of mangoes associated with the company must be looking for another consumption direction and the company is making a new application for review.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, General Director of Vina T&T Group Import-Export Company, said that it is necessary to manage the codes of planting areas and packing facilities well because when the Chinese side discovers that they will ban, genuine businesses have codes. impersonated numbers will suffer unfair damage.
Regulations on exporting durian to China
Currently, there are 51 growing areas and 25 packing facilities of 13 provinces that have been granted codes to export durian to China.
Export shipments must comply with China’s laws, regulations and standards related to food hygiene and safety as well as the requirements stated in the protocol and must not be contaminated with phytosanitary objects that the Chinese side care about.
Regarding garden management, under the supervision of MARD, all planting areas registered for export to China must build a quality management system and traceability, applying Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Regarding packaging and processing, MARD or an official authorized by MARD will supervise the processing and packaging of durians for export to China. Production, packing facilities and quarantine agencies must ensure the prevention of the COVID-19 epidemic.
During the first two years of phytosanitary inspection, take 2% samples. If no phytosanitary violations are detected, the sampling rate will be reduced to 1%. In case the quarantine object is found alive, leaves or soil, the whole consignment must not be exported to China. In some cases, the growing region and/and the relevant packer will not be able to export durians to China for the remainder of the season.
MARD will conduct root cause investigation and take effective remedial measures. At the same time, records are kept and must be made available upon request by GACC. When durian arrives at China’s import border gate, Chinese customs will check relevant documents and records and complete the quarantine inspection process. Durian shipments from unregistered growing areas or packers will not be imported into China.
Do not allow impersonation of the planting area
Mr. Hoang Trung, Director of the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), said: In order to keep this market, it is necessary to make more efforts and continue to fully comply with the provisions of the signed protocol. .
He said that businesses and people must comply with the instructions and requirements of specialized agencies to maintain the planting area code, maintain the market and expand the market share.
In order to avoid cheating on the codes of growing areas and packing facilities, the Department has directed the plant quarantine system of all border gates: Only with specific instructions from the Plant Protection Department and official notification of the plant protection regulations. If the code has been approved by the Chinese side, then the license will be granted. Based on the issued codes, authorization documents, output for each code to control the status of impersonation.
“The total output on a code of only 20,000 tons but exporting 30,000-40,000 tons is unacceptable. With the modern quarantine and control system being applied, it is completely possible to control the impersonation situation, ensuring the rights of the owners of the growing area codes as well as the packing facilities,” said Trung. .
The Plant Protection Department also requires the quarantine agency not to carry out plant quarantine procedures for registration dossiers with documents certifying the planting area code but without authorization. In addition, businesses do not cheat with codes, do not use codes without permission, do not mix goods from areas where codes are not granted, leading to loss of reputation of Vietnamese durian products, even losing the market. .•
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Immediately suspend without notice from the Chinese side
China Customs has agreed: In case of detecting fake enterprises or frauds about the codes of growing areas and packing facilities, the Plant Protection Department will immediately suspend the purchase and packaging of goods. as well as exports of units with violations without waiting for a written notice from the Chinese side.
This will be a measure that the Plant Protection Department resolutely applies to protect farmers, gardeners, and genuine businesses, as well as protect a sustainable export market for Vietnamese durian.
Mr. HOANG TRUNG, Director of Plant Protection Department
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Create a durian specialty ecosystem
We have made many products that are accepted by the market. But it is possible to lose what we have worked so hard for four years, even at the expense of two-way trade.
I hope businesses are not selling durians but representing a country, bringing the national image through durian specialties to the most populous, most potential and most demanding market.
The image of the durian fruit is not as important as the image of the ecosystem that produces that durian. Everyone should consider themselves a part of the Vietnamese durian story… When creating such an ecosystem and image, it will bring more sustainable benefits.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development LE MINH HOAN
SAFETY