HANOI: Vietnam’s durian export industry faces difficulties in entering the Chinese market due to new inspection regulations for durian exports.
China has tightened inspection of Basic Yellow 2 (BY2) residues in durian batches exported from other countries to this market, including Vietnam, with 90% of its durians exported to China.
The inspection regulation was issued after the General Administration of Customs of China reported the detection of BY2, a substance classified by the World Health Organisation as a Group 2B carcinogen, in Thai durian exports.
That move left Vietnam’s export durian batches being returned or waiting for customs clearance for lengthy periods at the border gates.
One Vietnamese exporter said that 170 tonnes of its produce did not clear customs at border gates because of the China inspection of BY2, believed to be used to enhance the yellow colour of durian fruit.
According to the durian export company’s representative, this is the first time its fruit has been returned due to a lack of a inspection certification for BY2.
At Huu Nghi International Border Gate, the number of durian trucks clearing customs each day has decreased sharply, from 70 to 80 trucks in 2024, to only 20 to 30 trucks in recent days.
Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department has asked localities to strengthen supervision of growing areas and packaging facilities. — Viet Nam News/ANN
