China approves 800 more durian growing areas in Vietnam

These were part of the 1,604 durian growing areas and 314 packing facilities submitted by the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to the Chinese customs body.

With the new approvals, Vietnam now has a total of 1,469 durian growing areas and 188 packing facilities authorized to export to China.

Exporters are encouraged to capitalize on this opportunity to increase their shipments of durians to China, provided they strictly adhere to Chinese phytosanitary and food safety regulations, the department said on Wednesday.

Vietnam currently possesses 12 laboratories certified to test for cadmium and eight laboratories for auramine O, both substances under close scrutiny by Chinese regulators.

Since the recent signing of the bilateral durian export protocol between the two countries, over 90 percent of Vietnam's durian exports have been shipped to China.

The area under durian cultivation nationwide has rapidly expanded, reaching approximately 151,000 hectares, with an output of about 1.5 million metric tons in 2024, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Despite these advancements, the Chinese market is characterized by its unpredictability, with regulations often changing swiftly and abruptly, the department commented.

China's technical requirements are stringent, with increasingly higher technical barriers, particularly concerning food safety standards.