Vietnam's agricultural exports are under scrutiny from importing countries, with warnings issued to farmers and exporters regarding potential rejection of their products if quality standards aren't improved. The Vietnam Trade Office in Belgium and the EU have highlighted the EU's new regulations, imposing border supervision and examination frequencies on certain imports like pepper, durian, and dragon fruit.
In 2023, the EU issued numerous warnings to Vietnam's agricultural exports, primarily concerning excessive chemical residues and mold. Similarly, Japan's phytosanitary agency flagged residues in durian and chili, leading to the disposal of affected consignments. Other instances include warnings from China and South Korea regarding violations in quarantine regulations and chemical residues in various produce.
Despite Vietnam's agricultural exports amounting to $53.1 billion in 2023 and reaching markets worldwide, compliance with stricter standards poses challenges. China's tightened border controls and the EU's regulations against IUU fishing and deforestation contribute to these challenges. It takes significant time and effort to access new export markets, but violations risk market access and reputation damage.
Vietnam's compliance with importing countries' regulations is crucial to retaining markets and avoiding market closures. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam emphasized the strengthened regulations on animal and plant quarantine and food safety by import markets during the review of SBS Vietnam's tasks in 2023.
Source: vietnamnet.vn