Controlling chemical residues in fruits: must be done from the root, in coordination with the police

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested specialized departments to closely coordinate with police agencies to strictly handle violations such as: using fake plant quarantine certificates, falsifying test results to carry out customs clearance procedures and export fruits.

Agricultural products and fruits exported at a northern border gate - Photo: C.TUỆ

Mr. Hoang Trung - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - said so when talking to Tuoi Tre about measures to control fruit quality before exporting to China, after the General Department of Customs of China applied some additional measures to Vietnamese fruits exported to this market.

Mr. Trung said: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also closely coordinates with the General Department of Customs of China. If you detect any violations or warn about any shipments, the Vietnamese side will immediately withdraw and stop exporting the violating codes.

Absolutely do not use prohibited chemicals

* Specifically, how did Vietnamese authorities react?

- Immediately after receiving the notice, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development directed the Plant Protection Department to actively coordinate with the General Administration of Customs of China to have the inspection rooms recognized by the Chinese side. To date, 9 inspection rooms have been recognized by China.

In addition, the ministry has sent 6 more dossiers for approval from the other side to meet export needs in the context of durian and many other Vietnamese fruits being harvested and about to be harvested in very abundant quantities.

The Ministry has also directed specialized departments to coordinate with localities to immediately deploy models for managing food safety of agricultural products, especially the use of chemicals in growing areas and packaging facilities. Localities with exported fruits are actively implementing this.

We also request that specialized departments closely coordinate with police agencies to strictly handle acts such as using fake plant quarantine certificates and falsifying test results to carry out customs clearance procedures.

At the same time, closely coordinate with the General Administration of Customs of China. If you detect any violations or warn any shipments, the Vietnamese side will immediately withdraw and stop exporting the violating codes.

* Some businesses are still hesitant to export again due to concerns about China's post-inspection process. What recommendations do you have for businesses?

- According to information from the plant quarantine agency at the border gates, all fruit trucks in general and durian trucks in particular have undergone quick quarantine procedures and can be exported, and no trucks are stuck at the border gates.

When exporting to China, your side will check according to regulations, and whether there are any violations or not, over time, your side will discuss and notify us. At that time, the ministry will continue to coordinate to find solutions to overcome cases of poor performance.

However, people and businesses must ensure that exported goods comply with the regulations and requirements of the importing market, especially absolutely not using banned chemicals or the maximum allowable residue level exceeding the threshold according to the regulations of the importing country.

The most fundamental solution is to have food safety control programs in gardens, growing areas, and at packaging, processing, and preservation facilities.

Early implementation of root control program

* With 9 testing labs recognized by China, can they meet the testing needs during the durian harvest season?

- Up to now, the testing rooms have fully met the needs of serving exports to the Chinese market.

With the principle of not causing congestion or blockage in exports due to a lack of testing rooms or a large number of test samples, the ministry has directed the addition and consolidation of resources, human resources, and equipment for testing rooms.

We have also promoted and encouraged businesses to cooperate with testing laboratories to control the use of active ingredients according to the requirements of the importing country. The units are doing very well in this. Recently, the two sides met and agreed on the sampling method, so the number of violating shipments has decreased significantly.

* In the long term, what solutions does the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have for China to soon remove this regulation?

- At the request of the Chinese side, the ministry has directed units to coordinate with localities to inspect, evaluate, and identify the causes and high risks for active ingredients that may have maximum residue levels exceeding the permitted threshold according to Chinese regulations. At the same time, there are instructions on technical solutions for systematic and sustainable cultivation so that people and businesses can produce systematically and more responsibly.

The Ministry also directed to urgently complete technical reports (determining causes and solutions) to send to China and the two sides to negotiate to return to implementing the protocol that the two countries have signed, at which time we will no longer have to apply additional measures as at present.

In addition, the ministry is also directing the Plant Protection Department to develop and immediately implement a program to monitor residues of active ingredients for all fruit export areas and to control them at the root.

For example, in Tien Giang and Long An, all exported fruits have been inspected and controlled under this program at the source and guaranteed not to exceed the maximum residue level allowed by China.

Durian exports drop sharply

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam's durian exports to China from the beginning of the year to February 10 reached about 3,500 tons, down 80% compared to the same period last year.

According to Mr. Hoang Trung, the reason is that the General Department of Customs of China has applied some additional measures to fruits such as durian, jackfruit, and dragon fruit exported to this country, not only for Vietnam but for all countries.

"The new regulation requires that fruit shipments before being exported must have analysis results of some active ingredients that China is interested in, and at the same time, the laboratories testing these active ingredients must be recognized by China," said Mr. Trung.

According to Mr. Trung, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development continues to complete the dossier to sign the protocol for exporting grapefruit. Promote the signing of the protocol for passion fruit and chili (currently being piloted). At the same time, promote and create all conditions for businesses of both sides to sign contracts to export fresh coconut and frozen durian.

So far, seven enterprises have been recognized by China for export, which is a driving force to increase exports.

Durian prices fall, gardeners are still being squeezed by traders

Exactly one year ago, the price of durian in the West exceeded 200,000 VND/kg, now the price has dropped to only 50,000 - 80,000 VND/kg depending on the type, causing many difficulties for gardeners.

Mr. Nguyen Van Loi (41 years old, living in Binh Phu town, Cai Lay district) said that his family had just sold more than 1 ton of Thai durian to traders at 39,000 VND/kg. This price is less than 1/5 of the price a year ago.

"Last year, with the same area, I sold for more than 200 million VND. Now I only get about 40 million VND," Mr. Loi said bitterly, adding that with this price, the gardener does not make a profit.

Mr. Tung, residing in Cai Be district, Tien Giang province, successfully processed off-season durian this year, sold it before Lunar New Year 2025 and earned a profit of more than 2 billion VND after deducting expenses - Photo: MAU TRUONG

According to Mr. Loi, this year due to unfavorable weather, the cost of fertilizer and pesticides invested in durian trees is quite high, but the yield is still lower than previous years. Gardeners can only hope for high selling prices to make up for their losses, no one expected durian prices to drop so sharply.

Mr. Nguyen Van Bay (owner of a garden in this area) has just closed a deal with a trader for more than 3 tons of durian at a price of 30,000 VND/kg. The reason the price of durian in Mr. Bay's garden is lower than other gardens is because the quality of the fruit is not consistent.

"In the past, it was easy for traders to buy durian from my garden, but now they use all kinds of reasons to force the price down. Traders say the durian is not beautiful, the durian thorns are ugly... to force the price down," said Mr. Bay.

According to the same day records in some areas of Cai Lay district, Cai Lay town, Cai Be district... (Tien Giang province) and Chau Thanh district (Ben Tre province), many agricultural warehouses purchased Thai durian type A at prices ranging from 78,000 - 80,000 VND/kg (2.7 boxes, from 1.9 - 5.2 kg), type B at prices ranging from 58,000 - 60,000 VND/kg (2.5 boxes, from 1.7 - 5.5 kg). Meanwhile, some warehouses bought in bulk (mixed large and small fruits) at prices ranging from 52,000 VND/kg.

According to a durian business in Cai Lay district, although it reopened after Tet, the company is still operating at a low level because exporting durian to China still has many risks.

Production is not much left

According to statistics, the Mekong Delta is the region with the second largest durian growing area in the country (after the Central Highlands) with more than 33,000 hectares, an output of 371,000 tons, accounting for more than 43% of the country's durian output.

Tien Giang province alone has the largest durian area in the region, with about 21,790 hectares. Ben Tre province has about 2,000 hectares of durian gardens.

Mr. Huynh Quang Duc (Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre province) said that because the province's durian is mostly sold domestically, it is not much affected by the price reduction.

In addition, durian growers in Ben Tre often spread out the crop and sell it before Tet 2025, so there are not many gardens with fruit left at this time. Meanwhile, in Tien Giang, off-season durians sold by growers before Tet are priced at over 100,000 VND/kg.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/kiem-soat-du-luong-hoa-chat-trong-trai-cay-phai-lam-tu-goc-phoi-hop-voi-cong-an-20250215223825504.htm