Despite having registered growing area codes and packing facility codes, durian and jackfruit from the Mekong Delta are still being refused sample acceptance by testing laboratories. This situation is making it increasingly difficult to market these key fruits of the region.

The information was presented at a meeting on solutions for durian consumption in Dong Thap Province held on the afternoon of May 4.

According to a report by the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap Province, since mid-April, durian procurement has faced significant difficulties as export enterprises have limited their purchasing activities.

The main reason identified is that testing laboratories approved by China are not accepting samples for products originating from the Mekong Delta, even when these products already have valid growing area and packing facility codes.

Notably, products are screened directly at the orchard prior to harvest, with cadmium levels recorded at only 0.018 mg/kg, significantly lower than China’s regulatory threshold of 0.05 mg/kg, yet they are still not accepted for testing.

Currently, testing laboratories are prioritizing samples from the Southeast and Central Highlands regions, with strict requirements for traceability from growing areas to packing facilities, according to the report from the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap Province.

Mr. Vo Tan Loi, Chairman of the Dong Thap Durian Association, stated in his submission to the meeting that current sampling conditions are almost exclusively prioritizing products from the Southeast and Central Highlands, where growing, harvesting, and packing must all be conducted within the same region. This effectively excludes Mekong Delta durian from the testing process required for export.

In addition to testing bottlenecks, Mr. Le Chi Thien, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap Province, noted that Vietnamese durian is also facing competitive pressure from Thai durian in the Chinese market.

These factors have led to a sharp decline in procurement prices. Currently, RI6 durian at the farm gate is priced at only VND 25,000–30,000/kg, while Monthong ranges from VND 60,000–70,000/kg, depending on orchard quality.

Consumption pressure is expected to intensify in the coming period, as Dong Thap alone—one of the key production areas in the Mekong Delta—is projected to harvest over 111,000 tons of durian in the next two months. Of this, more than 74,000 tons are expected in May and around 36,000 tons in June.

In response to the situation, Mr. Le Chi Thien proposed several urgent solutions, including connecting purchasing enterprises with areas that already have registered codes, proactively coordinating with testing laboratories to conduct pre-harvest sampling, and zoning risk areas while prioritizing regions that consistently meet Cadmium and Auramine O standards to establish a “green channel” for export.

Source: Saigon Economic Online