Vietnam’s Fresh Durian Exports: A Tasty Treat Gets an Official Safety Assurance
Today (August 4th, 2025), the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment took a significant step forward by issuing Decision No. 3015/QD-BNNMT, implementing a quality control procedure specifically for fresh durian exports. This decision takes effect immediately and marks a pivotal moment as it’s the first time a Vietnamese fruit has been granted its own quality control process.
Through this procedure, the Ministry has systematically outlined food safety control requirements for fresh durian throughout the entire production process, encompassing farming, harvesting, transportation, storage, packaging, and exportation.
Additionally, a stringent control process has been established for the registration, evaluation, and certification of food safety for batches of fresh durian intended for export.
This quality control procedure applies to organizations and individuals involved in the production and export chain of fresh durian for consumption abroad. This includes merchants who do not engage in packaging and processing but are named as exporters.
According to the Ministry’s decision, authorities responsible for food safety control, as assigned by provincial-level People’s Committees, must inspect the implementation of commitments to produce and trade safe food with farming and planting bases, as well as packaging, preservation, and transportation facilities for fresh durian exports.
Vietnam Sets Specific Requirements for Fresh Durian Exports
Vietnam’s exported durian now has a dedicated food safety control procedure. Photo: MK
Notably, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has outlined specific requirements for fresh durian exports. Accordingly, durian must be produced and harvested from inspected and supervised farming and planting bases, with assigned codes and inclusion in a list recognized by the importing country’s authorities if such a list is required.
Furthermore, fresh durian must be stored and transported in compliance with regulations and must be sorted, packaged, and labeled at packaging facilities that meet the standards and are included in the recognized list of the importing market, if necessary.
In addition, according to the Ministry’s decision, exported fresh durian must meet the heavy metal residue indicators specified in QCVN 8-2:2011/BYT, which sets limits for heavy metal contamination in food. It must also meet the pesticide residue indicators specified in Circular No. 50/2016/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health. Simultaneously, exported durian must comply with relevant regulations on lists of indicators and safety limits for durian products in the corresponding importing market.
The quality control procedure for fresh durian exports clearly defines the responsibilities and authority of stakeholders in the production chain, including farming and planting bases, packaging facilities, commercial merchants, and units within the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, such as the Department of Quality Management, Processing and Market Development, the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of provinces and centrally-run cities, the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Authority, and the authority managing conditions for food safety assurance.
The Ministry’s decision also includes an annex with a list of regulations, requirements, and standards for food safety assurance from several importing markets. These regulations encompass specific requirements from major markets like China and the EU, enabling production facilities to easily understand and implement them. The procedure also provides detailed guidance on sampling for batches of fresh durian registered for export, ensuring that every batch undergoes quality inspection before leaving Vietnam.
Vietnam’s durian export value is on the road to recovery. Illustrative image
According to the Import-Export Department (under the Ministry of Industry and Trade), in June 2025, the durian industry showed signs of recovery, with exports not only to China but also to Thailand. Businesses have taken proactive measures by inspecting product quality directly from the gardens and tightening the procurement and packaging processes.
In fact, after a decline in the first four months of 2025, Vietnam’s durian exports began to recover in May, reaching $204 million. This positive trend continued in June, with export turnover surpassing $300 million.
The Import-Export Department estimates that in July, the export turnover of this product will reach $350-400 million.
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