All growing areas and packaging facilities for pomelos and limes exported to China must be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, and approved by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) before participating in export activities.

This information was highlighted at the Conference on Implementing the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for Fresh Pomelo and Fresh Lime Fruits Exported from Vietnam to China (the Protocol). The conference was chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in coordination with relevant agencies on May 14.

The conference disseminated the technical contents and regulations of the Protocol; guided the processes for establishing growing areas and packaging facilities that meet the importing country's requirements; instructed the control of phytosanitary pests; and regulated the recording and archiving of logs as required by the Chinese side. On this basis, the initiative aims to promote formal exports for these two high-potential and advantageous fruit sectors of Vietnam.

Additionally, the conference publicized the provisions of Government Decree No. 38/2026/NĐ-CP, dated January 24, 2026, which regulates the import of plants with soil balls, growing area codes, and packaging facility codes.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, all growing areas and packaging facilities for pomelos and limes exported to China must be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, and approved by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) before exporting. This is a mandatory requirement to ensure that the management of growing area codes, packaging facilities, and export quality control is conducted uniformly and transparently under the regulations of both countries.

Export-oriented growing areas for fresh pomelos and limes must apply Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) or equivalent standards, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and fully implement monitoring measures for pests of concern to China. They must ensure fruit fly trapping is conducted and production records are maintained and archived in compliance with the Protocol. Notably, for pomelo growing areas, fruit bagging is a mandatory requirement and must be performed at least 60 days prior to harvest.

Within the framework of the program, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development tasked the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection with coordinating with localities to organize field surveys at several pomelo and lime growing areas and packaging facilities. This is to evaluate production conditions, pest management, record-keeping, and the capability to meet China's technical requirements.

The survey activities serve as a basis for regulatory bodies, localities, businesses, and producers to discuss directly and identify areas that need further refinement during production and export organization. This will enhance the practical effectiveness of the Protocol, ensuring the stable maintenance of formal export operations for Vietnamese pomelos and limes to the Chinese market.

Given that China is a large and growing import market for pomelos, the official signing of the Protocol on April 15, 2026, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC)—within the framework of the State visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to China—will create more market space and contribute to higher economic efficiency for producers.

This is the result of a technical negotiation process running since 2019 between the specialized agencies of the two countries in plant protection and quarantine. It reflects close coordination and a high spirit of responsibility between both sides in harmonizing technical requirements. It also demonstrates efforts to promote market opening through formal, transparent channels that comply with international standards and meet the increasingly high demands of international agricultural trade.

To date, Vietnam and China have signed a total of more than 20 agreements and protocols related to the export of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products. For fruits alone, around 10 varieties are exported via formal channels. In recent years, the negotiation and signing processes have accelerated. Since 2024, agreements for products such as frozen durian, fresh coconut, chili, and jackfruit have been signed successively, showing an increasingly clear trend toward expanding the catalog of agricultural products exported through official routes.

In the coming time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection serving as the focal point, commits to coordinating closely with localities, export businesses, and producers to effectively implement the Protocol. It will strengthen technical guidance, organize communication campaigns, training, and field surveys of growing areas and packaging facilities, inspect and monitor growing area and packaging facility codes, and continue to push forward negotiations to open markets for other potential Vietnamese agricultural products.

Pomelos and limes belong to Vietnam's advantageous agricultural product groups. The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection stated that the cultivation areas for pomelos and limes have continuously expanded in recent years across the Mekong Delta, the Southeast, the Central region, and the Northern Midlands. For pomelos in particular, Vietnam ranks among the world's leading producers, with an area of approximately 106,000 hectares and a potential output exceeding 1 million tons, featuring many large-scale, concentrated production zones.

Source: Bao Tai chinh - Dau tu