Unofficial exports over the border to China will face technical barriers since the two nations have agreed to limit them and increase official exports, heard a recent seminar in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

“Vietnamese agricultural exports to China are unsustainable because they are mostly dependent on unofficial exports on a small scale and without legal contracts between sellers and buyers,” Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, deputy head of the international affairs sub-department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s trade promotion department told the March 1 seminar on updating market information and developing official agricultural export (fruits and grocery) to China.

 

“Chinese importers are tightening quality norms and demanding origin traceability.”

 

The two nations had agreed Vietnam would export eight kinds of fruits to China - dragon fruit, watermelon, litchi, longan, mango, banana, rambutan, and jackfruit – she said.

 

“Vietnam is negotiating to export custard apple, pomelo, mangosteen, and rose apple to China. Besides, coffee should be brought into their supermarket system instead of exporting to Chinese provinces close to Vietnam by road.

 

“E-commerce websites like Alibaba and Taobao are good places for Vietnamese exporters to advertise themselves.”

 

Shi Xinbiao, a Chinese trade expert and importer, spoke about his country’s latest policies on fruit and vegetable imports.

 

“This year Chinese customs has stepped up inspection of Vietnamese agricultural products by requiring approval certificates and origin traceability.

 

“Vietnam should set up facilities to preserve farm produce and apply new technology in cultivation, to improve quality and yields and for tracing of origin.

 

“China is an open and lucrative market for Vietnamese exporters. Meeting its import criteria will help Vietnam capture a larger market share.”

 

China is the biggest importer of agricultural products, accounting for 10 percent of global imports, and its imports are growing at 8.8 percent annually. It accounted for 70 percent of Vietnam’s agricultural exports last year.

 

Last year, Vietnam exported 8.64 billion USD worth of agricultural products to China and imported 2.47 billion USD worth. – VNS/VNA