Vietnam enforces fresh durian export safety controls, opening market opportunities for Thai agribusiness

Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has introduced a new food safety control process for fresh durian exports to raise agricultural standards and comply with global food safety requirements, according to the Department of International Trade Promotion.

The regulation covers the entire fresh durian production chain — from cultivation and harvesting to storage, transport, packaging, and quality certification — with defined standards at every stage. It sets out requirements for registration, inspection, and certification for each export batch.

Durian growers must meet food safety criteria and maintain full traceability systems to track products throughout the production chain. If non-compliant produce is found, clear procedures must be in place for recall or disposal.

Producers holding internationally recognised certification such as GMP, HACCP, or ISO 22000 will benefit from streamlined inspections and ongoing certification under the new rules. Those without certification must sign a declaration to comply and allow inspections by authorised agencies.

Approved cultivation areas will be subject to continuous monitoring and assigned a specific area code for effective tracking. Storage and transport to packaging facilities must follow food safety standards with full traceability, while packaging sites must meet quality control requirements and undergo inspection or certification by competent authorities. Exporters must register with the national food industry system, comply with traceability rules, and have recall procedures in place for unsafe goods.

Testing laboratories for durian samples must be licensed and authorised to conduct sampling and analysis, either at the owner’s request or under official order, to certify product quality and safety.

Only durians from certified cultivation areas and facilities, bearing both area and facility codes, with complete labelling meeting food safety standards, will be eligible for export. In cases where importing countries have specific requirements, the goods must undergo additional inspection and certification by Vietnam’s competent authorities before shipment.

Export performance and market volatility

Vietnam Customs data for June 2025 shows fruit and vegetable exports valued at US$807 million — up over 30% from May 2025 and more than 20% year-on-year. Durian accounted for about US$360 million, a rise of over 70% from the previous month.

However, in the first six months of 2025, durian exports averaged US$825 million, down 37% from the same period in 2024, reflecting market volatility and past quality control limitations. The new durian-specific food safety rules are intended to address these challenges, forming the first step towards a robust, sustainable control system to enhance Vietnam’s agricultural competitiveness in the global market.

Opportunities for Thai businesses

The regulations present opportunities for Thai agribusinesses, especially service providers and specialists in food safety certification such as GAP, GMP, HACCP, and ISO 22000. Thai firms with certification expertise can offer training, consultancy, and internal audit systems to Vietnamese durian farms and packaging facilities to help them comply with the new standards.

This could generate service revenue and strengthen Thailand’s role in the regional durian supply chain. Stricter measures may also increase operational costs for some Vietnamese producers or leave them unable to adapt in time, opening the door for Thai firms to provide traceability solutions, quality control services, or OEM packaging, processing, and logistics to enhance the value and credibility of products in the eyes of importers.

Additionally, Thai companies could collaborate with government and related agencies to develop production chain innovations and technologies that meet rising global demands for food safety and source transparency.