HÀ NỘI — The General Department of Customs has sent a document asking regional offices to facilitate the clearance of agricultural exports, especially perishable products such as durian.

This is to implement the Prime Minister’s orders to create the most favourable conditions for exporters amid rising international demand and logistics challenges.

Accordingly, shipments of fresh farm products, forestry and fishery products – particularly those in peak harvest season or at risk of spoilage, must be given priority in customs clearance.  Coordination must be enhanced to remove bottlenecks in procedures.

Any deeds issued which are the cause of unnecessary delays and which cause difficulties for businesses will face strict punishments.

Durian is at the centre of the export push.  

Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that the country earned nearly US$3.2 billion from exporting durian in 2024, accounting for 47 per cent of the country’s total fruit and vegetable exports.

Durian plantation areas expanded at around 19.5 per cent per year to reach 180,000 hectares last year, with a total output of 1.5 million tonnes.

However, exporters have recently facing challenges, from the imposition of additional phytosanitary and documentation requirements on Vietnamese durian shipments. In addition, climate change and unregulated expansion of durian plantations pose risks to the long-term sustainable development of the fruit. — BIZHUB/VNS