Localities and regions exporting agricultural products must standardize production processes, products and designs, as well as supervise the care, harvesting, preservation and packaging of fruits if they want to maintain fruit export activities to China.

Mr. Doan Thanh Son, Vice Chairman of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee, made this recommendation when speaking with Tuoi Tre regarding China's request to strictly control fruit standards, in which exported durian must have a certificate of yellow O quality.

Mr. Son said: We always create the best conditions for businesses and traders who meet the procedures and standards, but must ensure regulations and standards when exporting goods and fruits, especially to the Chinese market.

* Recently, China has added a test for O-yellow in durian. Will durian export activities of businesses be interrupted for a long time, sir?

- Chinese authorities are increasingly controlling the standards and quality of agricultural products and fruits exported to this market, most recently the regulation on testing for yellow O in durian.

Initially, businesses did not immediately access the new information, leading to a situation where durian exported to China did not meet the requirements for testing yellow O (late January 2025). However, up to now, China has recognized 9 testing facilities related to yellow O, and durian exports are smooth if they meet the regulations.

* But quality control does not only apply to durian but all fruits exported to China?

- The Chinese market has set very clear standards and regulations, both in terms of product quality, packaging, and packaging, and has repeatedly notified and recommended Vietnamese exporters. However, there are still traders who have not updated, changed their habits, and improved their products in a timely manner, leading to difficulties in exporting goods.

The Lang Son provincial government also regularly recommends to localities and agricultural export regions to standardize production processes, standardize products, designs, and supervise the care, harvesting, preservation, and packaging of fruits.

Enterprises need to change their import and export methods from informal to formal through official foreign trade contracts, minimizing risks and disputes, thereby maintaining the export market, of which China is the major market.

These contracts must bind the responsibilities of the parties, determine the payment method, guarantee, and avoid shipping goods to the border gate and waiting for Chinese traders to come and buy.

* Many types of Vietnamese fruits are about to enter the main harvest season. What solutions does Lang Son have to reduce congestion at the border gate, sir?

- The average customs clearance volume for Lang Son province is about 1,200 - 1,400 vehicles/day, peaking at 1,600 - 1,700 vehicles/day. Therefore, we have had plans to regulate and meet the increasing import and export traffic volume, even up to over 2,000 vehicles/day with newly formed wharf infrastructure such as the Viettel Logistics Park, which has just been in operation since December 2024.

In addition to the traditional customs clearance model, we are also actively implementing the smart border gate model, which will have a separate customs clearance flow, prioritizing agricultural products and electronic components for export with a smart guidance vehicle system, automatic container cranes, and a smart customs clearance system operating 24 hours/day.

This model contributes to increasing daily customs clearance volume and reducing warehousing and delivery costs for businesses.

* What is the progress of the implementation of this smart border gate model so far?

- We are calling for investment in two projects on wharfs, infrastructure, and technical facilities to serve the operation of smart border gates at Tan Thanh border gate and Huu Nghi international border gate. Many large corporations are interested in researching investment such as Viettel, VNPT...

The province's policy is to call on all economic sectors, not just limited to Vietnam or any other country. Because the smart border gate model requires large resources for investment in logistics infrastructure, vehicles, and machinery and equipment such as smart guide vehicles, container cranes, automatic monitoring systems, 5G telecommunications systems, smart customs clearance systems...

Data synchronization with the Chinese side when implementing the smart border gate model is also very important.

Therefore, Lang Son, ministries, branches, and agencies are urgently promoting, researching, and developing regulations on customs procedures and customs supervision and control of imported and exported goods through smart border gates. Including the participation of finance, customs, defense sectors...

According to Mr. Doan Thanh Son, the Government has assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to preside over, research, and propose the Chinese side to build a center for inspection and testing of agricultural product quality before export, expected to be located in Dong Dang area, Lang Son province.This is the center of customs clearance routes and specialized roads at Huu Nghi international border gate. Thus, Vietnamese agricultural products before being exported to China have had inspection results and certification according to regulations.Regarding issues under the province's authority such as administrative procedures, vehicle regulation, etc., we will create the most favorable conditions and minimize congestion at the border gate area.

Source: Tuoi Tre Newspaper