Illustrative image (Source: VNA) To prepare for the shipment, the municipal Sub-department for Plant Production and Protection on October 5 guided cooperatives and cooperative groups in Phong Dien district to register for planting area codes, meeting requirements for exports to China through the official channel.
There have been no cooperatives, businesses and individuals in Can Tho granted with the codes so far. The sub-department has received six registration dossiers.
Can Tho is home to 2,500 hectares of durians, mainly in Phong Dien district with 2,150 hectares which provides about 14,200 tonnes of durians for the market each year.
Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thai Nghiem said there is only one cooperative in Phong Dien eligible to be granted with the code, suggesting local farmers form production groups to be eligible.
After four years of negotiations, on July 11, a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for Vietnamese durians exported to China was signed - an important condition for Vietnamese durians to have a sustainable import market.
The protocol stipulates that all growing areas registered for export to China must build a quality management and traceability system, apply Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and ensure conditions such as cleaning the cultivating garden and away from the source of pollution, immediately removing the fallen and rotten fruits.
In addition, they must apply an integrated pest management (IPM) programme, including pest surveillance, chemical or biological control, and other farming practices.
China is still the largest importer of Vietnamese durians, but this fruit is mainly exported to China via border gates./.
VNA
