According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Protocol requiring plant quarantine for watermelon exports from Vietnam to China will take effect from June 12. This is an important step in standardizing regulations on agricultural export between the two countries, while promoting official exports of Vietnam’s agricultural products in general and watermelons in particular to this potential market.

On June 12th, the Protocol requiring plant quarantine for watermelon exports from Vietnam to China took effect.

Open doors for watermelon export

According to the Protocol, Vietnam’s fresh watermelons must not be contaminated with 5 species subject to live plant quarantine that China is concerned about.

All growing areas and packing facilities for watermelons exported to China must be registered and approved by both the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the General Administration of Customs of China. Gardens must apply Good Agricultural Practices (GAP); Must ensure supervision of the garden and packaging process at the packaging facility. Packaging facilities must build a traceability system to ensure that fresh watermelons exported to China can be traced back to the growing area that has been granted a code.

In addition, Vietnamese watermelon shipments will be imported through all Chinese border gates permitted by the General Department of Customs of China to import fruit; 2% plant quarantine sampling must be conducted and must comply with China’s national food safety standards when imported into this market.

According to the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the Protocol clearly defines import requirements from China to ensure that Vietnam’s fresh watermelons comply with laws, regulations and standards related to hygiene. China’s food safety regulations as well as plant quarantine requirements, thereby creating a basis for compliance by Vietnamese manufacturing, packaging and exporting units. Therefore, in mid-April, the Plant Protection Department issued a written request to the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of provinces and cities; relevant associations and industries; and the Regional Plant Quarantine Sub-departments to notify and disseminate the content of the Protocol to relevant organizations, individuals, and specialized agencies to prepare the necessary conditions for the application of this Protocol.

“To date, 162 watermelon growing areas and more than 1,000 packaging facilities in 38 provinces have been granted codes to export to China. This is an important step in standardizing regulations on agricultural export between the two countries” – said a representative of the Plant Protection Department.

Assessing the impact when the Protocol takes effect, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen – General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association said that the market consuming the majority of Vietnamese watermelons is China. However, due to weather and seasonal factors, watermelon is only exported to this country at a good price, especially before and after the Lunar New Year. In the summer, because China can also grow watermelons, import demand is often lower. Therefore, when the Protocol takes effect, the output price of this product will be more stable.

“Currently, watermelon is an export product with higher value than lychee, longan, and rambutan with a turnover of more than 50 million USD/year. When the Protocol takes effect, the export of this product is expected to reach 80-100 million USD/year, thereby helping people increase their income and become more attached to this product” – Mr. Nguyen said.

Increase export capacity

According to economic experts, with a population of more than 1.4 billion people and a growing middle class, China is a potential market for many high-quality agricultural, forestry and fishery products. This is also an opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to increase market share of agricultural, forestry and fishery products in this market. Currently, many Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products are exported to China. This includes 12 fruit and vegetable items (watermelon, mangosteen, black jelly, durian, fresh banana, sweet potato, dragon fruit, rambutan, mango, lychee, longan, jackfruit); bird’s nest, fish meal and a number of products serving the production and processing of animal feed; Dairy and seafood products of all kinds. With durian products, Vietnam is the second largest market supplying fresh durian to China. Notably, China sharply increased its imports of fresh durian from Vietnam in the first 4 months of this year, reaching 79.3 thousand tons, worth 369.8 million USD, an increase of 91.0% in volume and an increase of 81.9%. % in value compared to the same period in 2023, accounting for 39.2% of the total amount of fresh durian imported by China.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that recently, a working session took place between Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung and Mr. Trieu Tang Lien – Deputy Director General of the General Department of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on promoting agricultural products between the two countries. through new protocols. The two sides committed to soon complete procedures to sign the Protocol on plant quarantine requirements for Vietnamese fresh coconuts and frozen durians exported to China. As for passion fruit and chili peppers, the two sides have piloted exports. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the General Department of Customs of China will promote the completion of procedures to soon be able to sign these two documents.

Also according to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the first 5 months of 2024, the import-export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products between the two countries reached 6.2 billion USD (up 2.9% over the same period in 2023). Of which, Vietnam’s exports to the Chinese market are estimated to reach 4.6 billion USD (up 8.6% over the same period in 2023), imports are estimated at 1.6 USD (up 31.5% over the same period in 2023).

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/them-co-hoi-cho-nong-san-vuon-xa-10283070.html