The quality of durians produced in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is widely regarded as comparable to that of Thai durians. Yet despite this advantage, growers continue to face recurring price collapses during peak harvest seasons. The underlying issue lies in cadmium residues originating from fertilizers that accumulate in the fruit, undermining years of effort and pushing the durian industry back to square one.

This assessment was presented at the workshop “Orientations for managing and developing fruit production and consumption areas in line with market requirements,” organized by the Can Tho Department of Agriculture and Environment on June 9.

Multiple challenges remain

Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang, Deputy Director of the Can Tho Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that the city currently has more than 100,000 hectares of fruit cultivation, including numerous concentrated production zones. To date, 657 growing area codes and 45 packing facility codes have been issued to support exports.

According to Ms. Giang, these achievements reflect a shift in mindset from agricultural production toward an agricultural economy driven by market demand.

However, she noted that the fruit export sector continues to face numerous challenges related to quality management, food safety, phytosanitary requirements, growing area codes, and packing facility codes.

Decree No. 38/2026/ND-CP has established a new legal framework governing the management of growing area and packing facility codes, imposing higher standards for production, quality monitoring, and stakeholder accountability.

Discussing the recurring decline in durian prices during peak harvest seasons in recent years, Ms. Nguyen Hong Tram Tuyen, Deputy Director of Diem Phuc Fruit Import-Export Co., Ltd. in Dong Thap Province, said that the problem extends beyond traditional supply-and-demand dynamics.

The more significant issue is that many durian products fail to meet the technical standards required for export.

Particularly concerning are violations related to auramine O contamination and cadmium residues derived from fertilizers. In addition, the capabilities of many growing areas and packing facilities remain insufficient.

“The number of durian samples from the Mekong Delta found to contain cadmium residues is extremely high. This rate is very low in the Southeast region and almost nonexistent in the Central Highlands. As a result, Mekong Delta durians are unable to access export markets, especially during peak harvest periods when farmers should be benefiting the most, yet prices collapse instead,” Ms. Tuyen explained.

According to her, cadmium contamination has now been a concern for three consecutive years. If left unresolved, it could threaten the very survival of the Mekong Delta’s durian sector and the broader fruit industry.

“The Chinese market considers the quality of Mekong Delta durians to be fully competitive with Thai durians. However, cadmium contamination is dragging all of our efforts back to the starting point,” she added.

Dr. Tran Huu Phuc from the Faculty of Crop Science at the College of Agriculture, Can Tho University, cited research showing that after three decades, from 1990 to 2020, agricultural soils in the Mekong Delta have experienced significant declines in nutrient quality.

Fruit trees have shown particularly severe responses to inappropriate fertilizer use, especially durian trees, which have exhibited issues such as uneven flesh texture, hard flesh, soft flesh, and segment burn.

According to Dr. Phuc, many farmers still apply fertilizers based on intuition rather than scientific recommendations and have yet to adopt the regular use of organic fertilizers.

A strategic approach to fertilizer management is needed

Participants at the workshop agreed that the first priority is preventing additional cadmium-containing fertilizers from entering agricultural soils.

Farmers should transition to alternative fertilizers or apply products strictly according to recommended dosages and allowable thresholds to prevent further cadmium uptake by durian trees and fruit.

From a regulatory perspective, authorities should urgently develop a comprehensive cadmium management program for agricultural soils while organizing large-scale and continuous training programs on fertilizer application techniques.

At the same time, an official list of safe agricultural inputs and fertilizers, particularly phosphate fertilizers, should be developed to help farmers make informed decisions.

Dr. Tran Huu Phuc also proposed continued investment in agricultural infrastructure to facilitate the use of organic fertilizers in farming systems.

He further recommended increased investment in plant breeding and variety selection programs, along with stricter oversight of seedling production and distribution facilities, including mandatory transparency and traceability requirements.

In addition, he called for stronger monitoring, inspection, and evaluation of fertilizers with high potential heavy metal content, as well as proposals to reduce the allowable cadmium content in fertilizers below the current threshold of 12 mg/kg.

Producers, he emphasized, must assume greater responsibility toward consumers and the environment through enhanced traceability and accountability.

Representatives of the Can Tho Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection stated that authorities will intensify communication campaigns, expand farmer training programs, and promptly update growers on new regulations.

The agency also plans to strengthen both scheduled and surprise inspections by conducting random sampling within registered growing areas prior to harvest.

In addition, recommendations will be submitted to the Can Tho People’s Committee to issue detailed implementation plans and require strict compliance with reporting obligations to maintain the validity and stability of growing area codes.

Source: Bao Tien Phong