Vietnam’s vegetables and fruits in 2022 to nearly $3.4 billion.

A representative of the Plant Protection Department predicted that fruit and vegetable exports to China will boom again in 2023.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Director of the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development disclosed that nine factories that have so far met the standards for export to China saw an increased growth of up to 50 percent. In November 2022, Vietnam also signed a protocol to export bird’s nests to China. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued an instruction on the export of bird nests and the sector strived to have the first shipments of bird nests into China this year.

Mr. Long also said that the department has coordinated with competent agencies to build a foot-and-mouth disease-free zone. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is negotiating to export more chicken, and processed products to the Chinese market, opening up new markets for Vietnamese livestock products.

Nevertheless, in addition to advantages and opportunities, experts still warned of challenges including the risk of a re-epidemic outbreak after China reopened its borders. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the number of vehicles transporting goods to the northern border gates will increase before the Lunar New Year. Therefore, the ministry suggested that businesses and localities, especially agricultural production areas focus on exporting to the Chinese market. Responsible agencies need to actively update information on the clearance of goods at border gates as well as closely cooperate with northern provinces at border gates to coordinate the flow of exported goods.

According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, businesses need to strictly prevent and detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus and ensure food safety before exporting to China because if China detected the SARS-CoV-2 virus in products, Chinese authorities will ban export. Moreover, enterprises need to carry out official export, to avoid breaking contracts and resulting in losses.

In addition, businesses need to improve quality and learn market information before exporting, especially manufacturing according to orders.

Mr. Duong Nghia Quoc, Chairman of the Vietnam Pangasius Association, said that at present, China has set criteria and technical barriers that are as same as that of European countries. Therefore, enterprises in addition to quality assurance production need to improve product quality and ensure food safety.

From January 8, China implemented the management of Covid-19 under the category B infectious disease. This country also abolished some regulations including stopping testing chilled, frozen foods for Covid from Jan. 8.

Source : sggpnews.org.vn/ For more details