Việt Nam’s durian booth attracts visitors at the ASEAN-China Durian Festival in Beijing last August. — VNA correspondent in China

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam now has 37 testing facilities approved by China’s customs authority to conduct food safety tests on durian and jackfruit exports, helping businesses better meet stricter import requirements from the country’s largest fruit export market.

According to an updated list from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment as of June 26, the facilities have been authorised by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) to test cadmium (Cd) and Auramine O in durian and jackfruit shipments bound for China.

The expansion of the testing network is expected to improve quality control, shorten inspection times and reduce costs for exporters, while supporting compliance with China’s increasingly stringent food safety and quarantine regulations.

The approved laboratories are located across four key regions nationwide.

The southeast region has the largest number of facilities, with 15 mainly in HCM City. Of these, six can test both cadmium and Auramine O, four are approved for cadmium testing only and five for Auramine O testing only.

The region is home to major testing and certification providers including SGS, Eurofins, Vinacontrol, TENTAMUS, SCI-TECH and Hoàn Vũ.

The Mekong Delta has 10 approved facilities, including eight authorised to test both indicators. Most are located in Cần Thơ, Đồng Tháp and Cà Mau, close to major durian production areas.

The Red River Delta has eight facilities, with seven approved for both tests and one for Auramine O only. Seven of them are based in Hà Nội and one in Quảng Ninh.

Meanwhile, the south-central coast and Central Highlands region has four approved laboratories in Đà Nẵng, Đắk Lắk and Lâm Đồng. Đắk Lắk, a key durian-growing locality, currently has one facility approved for both cadmium and Auramine O testing.

The recognition of Việt Nam’s testing system is considered an important step in strengthening the country’s agricultural export management capacity and improving the competitiveness of key fruit products.

It also provides a foundation for maintaining and expanding exports of durian and jackfruit to China, as the market continues to tighten controls on chemical residues and food safety standards for imported agricultural products. — BIZHUB/VNS