Vietnam resumes export of fruit, vegetables to EU

Photo for illustration. 24h.com

Vietnam will grant quarantine certificates to its fresh vegetables and fruit as of June 30, making them eligible for export to European Union (EU) after over 12 months of temporary halt, an official has said.

Nguyen Van Nga, Head of the Zone 2 Plant Quarantine Sub-Department of the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, revealed the information on the sidelines of the Congress of the Vietnamese Fruit and Vegetables Association held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 7.

The temporary halt of the export of five kinds of vegetables, namely basil, sweet pepper, celery, bitter gourd and coriander began in early 2012 when the produce failed to meet EU food hygiene and safety regulations.

EU authorised agencies warned that if another five violations are detected they will issue a ban on all fruit and vegetables from Vietnam.

To avoid this, domestic exporters are advised to purchase fruits and vegetables produced in line with Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) standards.

According to the General Department of Customs, by mid-April, fruit and vegetable exports had brought home 224 million USD. If exports grow as expected revenue for this year will hit 1 billion USD.