Vietnamese durian gets 47 an additional farming area codes and 18 packaging facility codes from China, enabling more export of the fruit to that country. Photo thanhnien.vn

HCM CITY – China has approved another 47 farming area codes and 18 packaging facility codes for importing durian from Việt Nam, according to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Farming area codes enable traceability and thus agricultural exports.

To qualify for export to China, durian need to weigh three kilogrammes or more, meet stringent safety standards, have traceability stamps in English or Chinese, and show the name of the packaging facility.

China, the world's largest durian market, began importing the fruit from Việt Nam last year after approving 51 farming area codes.

The number has since increased to 293 along with 115 packaging facility codes.

According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, durian has been identified as the fruit with the highest economic value.

Its exports in the first quarter were worth US$153 million, 8.3 times up from the same period last year, of which China accounting for 83 per cent.

Đặng Phúc Nguyên, general secretary of the Việt Nam Fruit Association, said the fact that more farming area codes and packaging facility codes had been approved by China was good news for durian growers and exporters.

It would enable Việt Nam to increase exports to China, where demand is enormous. – VNS