Vietnam Establishes Nationwide Standards to Bolster the Billion-Dollar Durian Business
Vietnam's agricultural sector is undergoing a significant transformation, with a shift in imports and exports driven by green trade revolutions, government policy, and global trends. One standout performer in this change is the durian export industry, which has seen impressive growth in the first half of 2025.
The Vietnamese government has introduced a new food safety control process for fresh durian exports, covering the entire production chain from cultivation and harvesting to storage, transport, packaging, and export. This process aims to raise agricultural standards and ensure compliance with global food safety requirements.
Key features of this process include registration, inspection, and certification of every export batch, traceability systems for durian growers, stricter standards on the use of agrochemicals, and requirements for exporters to register with the national food industry system and have procedures for recalling unsafe goods.
This new process affects all stakeholders along the durian value chain. Farmers and cultivators must adopt stricter practices, comply with safety standards, obtain traceability codes, and face regular inspections to maintain export eligibility. Packing and storage facilities must meet quality control and safety certifications, increasing operational scrutiny. Exporters have enhanced responsibility to ensure product safety compliance, traceability, and recall readiness.
The new process is designed to protect farmers' incomes by improving quality consistency and reputation, particularly for export markets like China, the largest importer of Vietnamese durian. The value chain benefits overall from increased transparency, reduced risks of banned chemicals, and alignment with international food safety norms, potentially allowing smoother market access and higher prices.
Vietnam's agricultural sector has shown promising signs, with a total export turnover of $33.84 billion in the first half of 2025, a 15.5% increase year-on-year. The recovery of fresh durian exports for the rest of 2025, particularly during the main harvest season from August to October, depends on strict adherence to food safety standards.
In addition to durian, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports hit a record $7.12 billion last year, up 27.1% year-on-year. The country is also strengthening ties with other countries in the agricultural sector, such as Singapore, to expand bilateral trade.
The new food safety control process for fresh durian exports is the country's first nationwide regulatory framework for a high-value agricultural product generating billion-dollar export revenue annually. It is a significant step towards ensuring the safety and quality of Vietnam's agricultural products and maintaining the trust of international markets.
[1] Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam. (2025, August 4). Food Safety Control Process for Fresh Durian Exports. Retrieved from https://www.mard.gov.vn/vi/thong-tin-tin-tuc/thong-bao/thong-tin-chi-tiet/14607
[2] Vietnam News Agency. (2025, June 15). Fresh Durian Exports Surge in First Half of 2025. Retrieved from https://vietnamnet.vn/en/business/fresh-durian-exports-surge-in-first-half-of-2025-729595.html
[3] Vietnam News Agency. (2025, July 1). New Food Safety Control Process for Fresh Durian Exports. Retrieved from https://vietnamnet.vn/en/business/new-food-safety-control-process-for-fresh-durian-exports-730434.html
[4] Vietnam News Agency. (2025, June 22). Thailand and Vietnam Promote Trade, Investment, Tourism, and Infrastructure. Retrieved from https://vietnamnet.vn/en/business/thailand-and-vietnam-promote-trade-investment-tourism-and-infrastructure-729957.html
[5] Vietnam News Agency. (2025, August 10). Frozen Durian Shipments Triple in First Half of 2025. Retrieved from https://vietnamnet.vn/en/business/frozen-durian-shipments-triple-in-first-half-of-2025-731196.html
- Despite Vietnam's agricultural sector focusing on a transformation in green trade revolutions and global trends, the sports world seems to be unaffected by the changes in the country's agricultural sector, as seen in the growth of the durian export industry.
- As the Vietnamese government introduces stricter food safety standards for fresh durian exports, it remains to be seen how these regulations will intersect with the sports industry, if at all, considering the growing importance of durian exports in the country's economy.
