Vietnamese enterprises believe that there needs to be close cooperation with farmers and cooperatives to move towards a healthy export environment.

Ms. Vu Ngoc Ha, General Director of Vusavi Joint Stock Company, one of the enterprises preparing to export frozen durian to China, said: “I think the most important thing is to ensure transparency and traceability to help prevent fraud and increase the reliability of Vietnamese durian in the international market.”

Ms. Ha said that enterprises need to cooperate more closely with independent inspection organizations to ensure product quality before exporting. This also includes updating and complying with new regulations from the authorities of both Vietnam and the importing country, to avoid incidents of quality or substandard processes.

After many rounds of negotiations, Vietnam and China agreed on the criteria of freezing durian at -18 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Vusavi General Director commented that this brings both advantages and difficulties. The first advantage is preserving product quality: “Freezing at -18 degrees Celsius helps preserve durian better, maintaining quality, flavor, and nutrition, especially during long-distance transportation.”

Next is extending the storage time: the freezing process will slow down the ripening and spoilage process, helping businesses to store products for a long time without worrying about damage, ensuring that durian reaches customers in the best condition.

Ms. Vu Ngoc Ha also believes that this is a criterion in line with international practice. This not only helps Vietnamese durian conquer the Chinese market, but also meets the strict requirements of the international market, increases competitiveness, and expands export markets, especially markets such as the EU and the US.

The first difficulty for Vietnamese enterprises when exporting frozen durian is the high investment cost. Enterprises must invest in modern freezing systems, cold storage and related equipment. This creates a large initial cost, especially for small and medium enterprises.

Ms. Ha believes that businesses need to cooperate more closely with independent inspection organizations to ensure product quality before exporting. Photo: Ngoc Nguyen.

The durian freezing process is also not simple because it must strictly adhere to time and temperature, requiring high precision and good technical skills. Enterprises must train human resources and monitor techniques to ensure efficiency.

The next difficulty is increased operating costs. Maintaining low temperatures during transportation and storage requires energy and warehouse costs, which can increase operating costs, affecting product prices.

Another thing that is rarely mentioned is product loss. If the freezing process is not up to standard, it can lead to product damage, causing economic losses and damaging the reputation of the enterprise in the market.

Enterprises planning to export frozen durian also mentioned factors such as cold storage management, regular maintenance, warehouse classification and arrangement...

According to Ms. Ha, to have a stable market, farmers first need to be trained and updated on the requirements of the international market for durian products, including quality standards, food safety and hygiene, and traceability. This helps them understand the serious consequences of fraudulent behavior.

Farmers need to be trained and updated on international market requirements for durian products. Photo: Vusavi.

The next step is for farmers and businesses to build links with businesses. In addition, agricultural cooperatives can also play an important role in monitoring the production process, thereby preventing fraudulent behavior. “I think the solution is for businesses to have clear and transparent contracts with suppliers, ensuring that farmers are paid fairly for standard products. This will help reduce the incentive for farmers to cheat due to fear of unstable prices or output,” said Ms. Ha.

Specifically, it could be building a cooperative model. For example, cooperatives can act as intermediaries to support farmers in terms of technology and quality management, while businesses provide output and state agencies control quality.

Sharing information and risk warnings: Management agencies, businesses and farmers need to build a mechanism to share information about markets, standards and changes in import requirements. This helps avoid errors due to lack of information and promptly prevent fraudulent acts.

“To end fraudulent acts in durian exports, all relevant parties need to join hands to implement measures from training, supervision to strict handling. When there is close cooperation between farmers, businesses and management agencies, maintaining the reputation of Vietnam's durian export industry will become more sustainable and effective,” Ms. Ha believes.

Source: Nong Nghiep Newspaper