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Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy has called for efforts to coordinate with Chinese customs to address technical challenges that are significantly hindering Vietnam’s durian exports following a steep drop in shipment volume.

The ministry has attributed the sharp drop in durian exports to China to a lack of clear legal frameworks, quarantine procedures and proper quality management. In addition, the issuance of codes for growing areas, packing facilities and lab systems have yet to meet China’s increasingly stringent requirements.

In response, Duy said coordination with Chinese customs will be enhanced to resolve technical barriers that are hindering exports. The issuance of codes for growing areas and packing facilities must be sped up, and quarantine procedures must be urgently followed to increase exports and adjust plans accordingly.

In the long term, Duy said that the legal system managing exports of agricultural products must be improved, along with technical standards across the entire supply chain, from cultivation and harvesting to processing and export. He stressed that restructuring the durian industry towards sustainability is now pressing.

Duy also encouraged the development of value-added durian products, especially frozen durian, to increase value and reduce reliance on fresh durian exports.

Vietnam’s exports of fruits and vegetables reached $1.62 billion in the first four months of this year, falling by 14% year-on-year.

In the domestic market, durian prices also dropped to around VND35,000–40,000 (US$1.35–1.54) per kilogram at the farm, just one-third of the prices over the same period last year.