In recent developments, exporters of dragon fruit, beans, and corn in Vietnam are encountering challenges in the European market due to the absence of an official agency for export certification, reports Saigon News. This predicament puts hundreds of tons of agricultural products at risk of spoilage, posing potential losses to involved enterprises.
Mr. Huynh Canh, Chairman of the Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association, highlighted that traditionally, exporters handled pesticide residue testing and certification independently or through third parties. The European market's recent identification of pesticide residues in some Vietnamese dragon fruit batches has prompted intensified inspections, uncovering inadequacies in the certification process. Notably, export certificates were issued by the businesses rather than an authorized Vietnamese governmental agency.
This shift necessitates Vietnamese enterprises exporting plant-based products to adapt to new European certification demands, severely affecting operations. Since July 1, many businesses have reported disrupted transactions. Mr. Tran Dinh Trung of Thuan Tien Dragon Fruit Cooperative expressed concerns over 50 tons of unsold dragon fruit, potentially leading to significant financial losses. Similarly, Son Tra Company Limited faces challenges with its frozen storage containing numerous tons of dragon fruit, risking extensive economic damage if certificates are not secured promptly.
The bottleneck stems from European requirements for government agency-managed pesticide inspection and certification, replacing private entities. Responding to this, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment assigned the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety the responsibility of handling export safety inspections and certification as per European standards, effective July 11. However, by July 14, the department had not received implementation guidance from the ministry.
As a countermeasure, the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Department has urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to establish concrete regulations and procedures essential for certification in conformity with European guidelines. Clarification on these requirements is sought to provide the regulatory framework critical for addressing the hindrances faced by exporters of dragon fruit, beans, and corn.
Source: Saigon News
