On August 4, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued Decision No. 3015/QĐ-BNNMT on the “Protocol for Food Safety Control of Exported Fresh Durian”, which takes effect from the date of issuance. This protocol aims to systematize food safety (FS) requirements for fresh durian throughout the entire production and export process, including registration, assessment, and certification of food safety for export consignments.

1. Scope and Applicable Entities

Scope: Applies to food safety control activities for fresh durian throughout the production chain, including cultivation, harvesting, transportation, storage, packaging, and export.

Applicable Entities:

• Production facilities: Organizations and individuals involved in the fresh durian production and export chain, including commercial traders (without processing or packaging activities) listed as the exporter.
• Regulatory authorities: Responsible for managing FS conditions, conducting assessments, and certifying FS for export consignments.
• Testing laboratories: Conduct analysis and testing of fresh durian for FS certification purposes.

2. Specific Requirements by Stage

1. Growing Areas and Cultivation Facilities

• General conditions: Must comply with FS conditions under Clause 1, Article 23 of the Law on Food Safety.
• Traceability: Must comply with traceability and unsafe product recall requirements under Circular No. 17/2021/TT-BNNPTNT.
• Certification: Cultivation facilities may be assessed and certified for FS compliance or inspected no more than once per year if they hold international certifications such as GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000, GAP, or have signed a commitment to safe food production.
• Code assignment: Growing areas must be inspected, monitored, and assigned codes in accordance with regulations by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

2. Storage and Transportation to Packaging Facilities

• Standards: Must meet FS requirements under Articles 20 and 21 of the Law on Food Safety and traceability requirements under Circular No. 17/2021/TT-BNNPTNT.
• Responsibility: Packaging facilities are responsible for inspecting and monitoring this process to ensure compliance.

3. Packaging Facilities

• General conditions: Must comply with FS requirements under Article 19 of the Law on Food Safety.
• Traceability: Must comply with traceability and unsafe product recall requirements under Circular No. 17/2021/TT-BNNPTNT.
• Certification and Code: Must be assessed, certified for FS compliance, and assigned codes as per regulations.

4. Commercial Traders

• Conditions: Must be registered for food business activities.
• Traceability: Must implement traceability, recall, and handling of unsafe products in accordance with the Law on Food Safety and Circular No. 17/2021/TT-BNNPTNT.

3. Product Standards and Inspection Procedures

1. Exported Fresh Durian Products

• Origin: Must be sourced from coded growing areas and cultivation facilities recognized by the importing country.
• Labeling: Product labels must comply with Decree No. 43/2017/NĐ-CP, Decree No. 111/2021/NĐ-CP, and relevant regulations of the importing market.
• Safety criteria: Must meet heavy metal residue limits under QCVN 8-2:2011/BYT and pesticide residue limits under Circular No. 50/2016/TT-BYT, as well as the importing country’s specific requirements.

2. Inspection and FS Certification Procedures Depending on the importing market’s requirements:

• If certification by Vietnamese authorities is required: Exporters must submit dossiers to the provincial-level agency designated by the People’s Committee for inspection and certification.
• If certification is not required but compliance is: Exporters must register and certify according to the importing country’s standards.
• If no specific requirement exists: Exporters follow the importer’s requirements (if any).

4. Responsibilities of Regulatory Authorities

• Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development: Provides guidance, training, and updates on importing market requirements.
• Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection: Guides, trains, and directs FS monitoring plans, develops growing area maps, and publishes recognized growing area lists.
• Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Environment: Develop sampling plans, train inspectors, and periodically report newly recognized growing areas and packaging facilities.

5. Attached Appendices

• Appendix 1: List of FS regulations and standards from key importing markets such as China (GB 14881-2013, GB 2762-2022) and the EU (Regulation (EC) 178/2002, Regulation (EC) 396/2005).
• Appendix 2: Detailed sampling guidelines for fresh durian export consignments, based on national standards such as TCVN 9017:2011, TCVN 5102:1990, and TCVN 10739:2015.

This protocol not only strengthens regulatory oversight but also demonstrates Vietnam’s commitment to building a sustainable agricultural export sector. It provides a legal foundation for Vietnamese enterprises to enhance competitiveness, build a reputable durian brand in international markets, and expand export opportunities. The protocol serves as a guiding framework for all stakeholders—from farmers to exporters—to collaborate in ensuring quality and safety, thereby elevating Vietnamese durian on the global agricultural map.

See attached file for details