For nearly a month, several Vietnamese agricultural products like dragon fruit, chili, okra, pepper, and spices have been unable to reach the European market due to procedural bottlenecks. This situation is causing financial damage and market loss for exporters.
Exporters in distress as fresh produce is destroyed
Since July 1, many Ho Chi Minh City–based businesses have struggled to obtain food safety certificates (FSC) for exporting goods to Europe. A representative of company P. reported that the HCMC Food Safety Department has not accepted export documentation as it awaits guidance from higher authorities. As a result, dozens of tons of fresh fruits and vegetables have spoiled and had to be destroyed. Notably, one major buyer in Spain has suspended negotiations and switched to other suppliers.
A similar situation is occurring in Binh Thuan. Mr. Huỳnh Cảnh, Chairman of the Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association, said local businesses working with HCMC exporters have been unable to ship goods due to procedural delays. Export-grade dragon fruit previously sold for VND 15,000–20,000 per kg now fetches only VND 3,000–4,000, with many growers abandoning harvests or donating the fruit.
Decentralized authority causes delays, businesses await instructions
Previously, food safety certification was handled by the Plant Protection Department (TT-BVTV). However, as of July 1, 2025, Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BNNMT shifted the responsibility to provincial-level governments. In HCMC, the Department of Food Safety is now in charge, but the transition has caused confusion and delays.
On July 17, the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA) sent a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MARD), highlighting similar issues. Around 250 tons of goods are stuck waiting for export permits. While pepper has a longer shelf life, the delays still impact business operations.
On July 11, TT-BVTV issued a directive asking the HCMC Department of Food Safety to proceed with food safety certification as per Circular 12. However, the department only received the directive on July 14 and is still working to implement it. In parallel, they sent an urgent request to MARD for detailed legal guidance on labeling, language use, and documentation components, which are not yet clearly defined.
The HCMC Food Safety Department is urging MARD to promptly issue comprehensive regulations for export certification to ensure smooth implementation and minimize further losses for businesses and farmers.
Source: Thanh Niên
