Many notes when exporting agricultural products to the Chinese market

Sharing at the Forum 'Promoting the export of durian, passion fruit, sweet potato, banana and other agricultural products - staple foods to the Chinese market' organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the morning of October 10. 12, Dr. Phan Thi Thu Hien, representative of the Plant Protection Department ( Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ) said that currently, Vietnam has 7 traditional export fruits including mango, dragon fruit, longan, lychee, etc. watermelon, rambutan, jackfruit and 5 types of export under the form of signing the Protocol are mangosteen, black jelly, durian, banana and sweet potato are allowed to be exported to the Chinese market .

Forum Overview

“Vietnam is temporarily exporting with passion fruit and fresh chili. The items that are still being negotiated to open the market are pomelo, custard apple, coconut, whip, lemon... Export shipments must have a phytosanitary certificate and not be contaminated with Chinese plant quarantine objects. Dr. Phan Thi Thu Hien information.

The question is, what are the requirements for Vietnamese agricultural products to go to China? Regarding this, Dr. Phan Thi Thu Hien said that at present, China has set requirements on growing areas for export to your country. That is to apply good agricultural practices (GAP). Accordingly, there must be no plant quarantine objects required by the General Administration of Customs of China; must be monitored and monitored for pests by technical staff; must keep records of surveillance and control of harmful organisms.

As for packing facilities, it is necessary to establish a traceability and quality management system. After packing, it must be stored in a separate area not to be combined with goods exported to other markets.

At the same time, pest control measures must be applied. Each box of goods exported to China must be printed in English or Chinese with the name of the growing area, the name of the packing establishment, the registration code, etc. Besides, the words on the box are written in Chinese or English: “Exported” to the People's Republic of China” (输往中华人民共和国).

The packing area must be kept clean and has a hard foundation. Packaging materials must be clean, hygienic, unused and in compliance with phytosanitary requirements. Wooden packaging materials comply with ISPM 15. Containers containing sweet potatoes must be clean, hygienic and must be disinfected.

Also according to Dr. Phan Thi Thu Hien, China also issued a warning on handling methods for violations. Specifically, the shipment without a valid Phytosanitary Certificate will be returned or destroyed. Shipments from unregistered processors will be returned or destroyed. If soil is found, the shipment will be returned or destroyed.

If phytosanitary objects of interest to China are found, other live phytosanitary objects, or plant residues are found, the shipment will be treated, returned, or destroyed. If non-compliance with other Chinese import inspection and quarantine requirements is found, the shipment will be handled in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Transparency of the production process

Giving guidelines for producing agricultural products that meet export standards to the Chinese market , MSc. Ngo Xuan Chinh - Director of the Center for Research and Transfer of Agricultural Technology Advancement, Southern Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, said that the establishment of planting area management according to VietGAP standards will ensure transparency. transparency to trace the origin of products and improve the quality and efficiency of Vietnam's agricultural production.

Information on product management and traceability, MSc. Ngo Xuan Chinh said that before and after harvest products need to be analyzed according to the following criteria: maximum limit of pesticide residues according to Circular 50/2016/TT-BYT, pollution limit heavy metals in food according to QCVN 8-2:2011/BYT, limit of mycotoxin contamination in food according to QCVN 8-1:2011/BYT. The production facility must sample and analyze the product according to regulations on the basis of the results of the hazard assessment during the production process.

The representative of the Southern Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology also noted that organizations and individuals producing according to VietGAP standards must organize internal inspection according to the requirements of VietGAP no more than once every 12 months. When nonconformities are detected, the cause must be analyzed and corrective actions taken. Time to take corrective action before delivery to the customer but not more than 3 months depending on the content of the point of nonconformity….

Discussing China's requirements on food safety for imported plant-based foods, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa - representative of the Plant Protection Department - emphasized the requirements on food safety. China's import products are increasingly strict and constantly updated and supplemented.

Foreign enterprises producing food for the Chinese market need to meet Article 5, Order 248, including: Belonging to a country with a food safety management system assessed by the General Administration of Customs of China; Be established and subject to the effective supervision of the competent authority of that country; Establish an effective and legal food safety management system in production and export in that country and ensure that food exported to China meets relevant laws and regulations and standards China's food safety.

"Enterprises that have been granted export codes in 2021 need to supplement information to register for export to China under Order 248 before June 30, 2023 (Enterprises can see Notice No. 2359/BVTV- Food safety on August 11, 2022, posted on the website of the Plant Protection Department.) Besides, the units registering for issuance of new export codes as well as additional information for 2021 must follow the instructions in Publication No. 953/BVTV-ATTPMT dated April 13, 2022, posted on the website of the Plant Protection Department”, noted Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa.

2022 is the year of opening the Vietnamese agricultural product market to the Chinese market when recently the General Department of Customs of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have signed many protocols regulating quarantine and safety. food for durian, banana, sweet potato, bird's nest and announced the pilot import of passion fruit from Vietnam to China.

Accordingly, one of the requirements of these regulations is that the production facility must have the code of the growing area, farming area, and packing facility code approved by the General Administration of Customs of China to manage food safety and quality. seek an origin.

In 2022, the export capacity of agricultural, forestry and fishery products will reach about 54 billion USD. In particular, the Chinese market is one of the key markets. Together to answer questions, remove difficulties and obstacles so that the production as well as the export of agricultural products and fruits of Vietnamese enterprises to the market of 1.4 billion people is convenient and expanding. .