During the first half of September 2026, Vietnam appeared in two notable export alerts regarding agricultural commodities, as durian was placed under heightened scrutiny by Ukraine, while Taiwan listed Vietnam among regions hosting three regulated quarantine pests.

Across the first half of September alone, World Trade Organization (WTO) members issued 33 new notifications regarding food safety and animal and plant sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, comprising 20 drafts open for public comment and 13 enacted regulations. For agricultural export enterprises, these represent critical policy changes requiring updates before shipments depart, rather than troubleshooting after cargo faces bottlenecks at border checkpoints.

Named twice, six weeks left to respond

Particularly notable is the notification from Taiwan (China). In a draft revision to its plant quarantine import regulations, the territory's competent authorities proposed adding several regions identified as harboring pests based on recent scientific literature. Vietnam was placed on the list in connection with three quarantine organisms: the western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, and the potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd).

Once a country or territory is identified as harboring a pest, quarantine mandates can follow for host plants and plant products at risk of carrying these targets when exported to Taiwan. Consequently, businesses should monitor the specific scope of impacted commodities rather than presuming that all Vietnamese agricultural products will face supplemental controls.

Conversely, the draft also proposes delisting 37 species from the quarantine pest inventory to bring regulations into alignment with WTO SPS principles.

The draft remains open for public consultation through October 31, 2026. This leaves Vietnamese technical agencies roughly six weeks to review scientific bases, conduct impact assessments, and submit comments if discrepancies or inappropriate measures are identified.

The second notification, issued by Ukraine, directly concerns Vietnamese durian. In a draft amending the list of non-animal-origin food and feed subject to enhanced import controls, Ukraine proposed placing fresh or chilled Vietnamese durian under heightened scrutiny, focusing on pesticide residues.

Vietnam is among 27 countries with goods proposed for inclusion on this list. Notably, Ukraine noted that its draft was formulated with reference to the European Union's Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on enhanced official controls over certain imported food and feed from third countries. This illustrates that residue control mandates are increasingly cross-referenced across importing markets, ratcheting up pressure to govern pesticide applications directly at cultivation belts and packing facilities.

The window for response is likewise brief. Stakeholders have 30 days from the notification's circulation date to submit feedback, corresponding to early October 2026. For a key export commodity like durian, this timeframe must be capitalized upon to audit technical specifications, assess potential trade fallout, and prepare formal response submissions if warranted.

Billion-consumer market recalculates residue standards

While not naming Vietnam directly, a new draft from China represents vital intelligence for agro-fishery exporters. The country is drafting a new National Food Safety Standard governing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for 142 veterinary drugs in food of animal origin, spanning livestock and poultry to aquaculture products such as fish, shrimp, crab, and honey.

The draft concurrently establishes a prohibited list of nine substances with zero residue tolerance, including dimetridazole, metronidazole, and xylazine. Given China's anchor role in Vietnam's agriculture and seafood exports, shifts in veterinary drug limits warrant close tracking by enterprises and industry associations, particularly for product groups within the regulatory perimeter. The public comment window extends until November 7, 2026.

In other markets, SPS regulations continue to evolve. The European Union proposed tightening furan limits in cereal-based processed foods intended for infants and young children. For Vietnamese firms targeting high-standard processed food segments, this revision demands tighter oversight over raw materials and processing workflows.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong issued a draft expanding its authorized sweeteners list from 10 to 22 substances. If ratified, the new regulation will broaden ingredient and recipe options for food and beverage exporters serving this market.

With regulatory changes multiplying continually, early intelligence gathering has become an essential prerequisite for export enterprises. In the first half of September, the Vietnam SPS Office compiled, translated, summarized, and published 33 notifications from WTO members to keep businesses, industry associations, and local management bodies informed.

The Vietnam SPS Office also serves as the focal point for receiving and consolidating stakeholder feedback to submit to the WTO SPS Committee. Under operational guidelines, feedback must reach the Office at least three days prior to the individual deadline stated in each notification to ensure proper synthesis and statutory handling.

Source: Vnbusiness