The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is collecting opinions on amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 14/2018/ND-CP detailing border trade activities in order to speed up the shift to official export.

As major fruits are entering the peak harvest season, Vietnamese officials have warned of the risk of worsening congestion at border gates with China in the northern region due to high export volumes.

Due to the sluggish import and export activities for the past few days, the northern province of Lao Cai has reported around 1,000 trucks got stuck at the Lao Cai International Border Gate on August 22.

Nguyen Van Hoi, Director of the Institute of Industrial Strategy and Policy Research, Ministry of Industry and Trade, spoke about the border trade activities after the pandemic was controlled.

Vietnamese enterprises should be cautious before transporting agricultural products to Lao Cai's Kim Thanh II border gate for export to minimise losses although Chinese authorities are piloting the re-import of these products.

The congestion of container trucks carrying goods for export at the border gates in the northern province of Lang Son has improved significantly since mid-June, backed by a faster customs clearance process, said the local trade authority.

After 3 months of suspension due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the temporary pontoon bridge Km3+4 in the city of Mong Cai, Quang Ninh province has been resumed again.

Quang Ninh is setting up “green zones” and increasing discussion with the Chinese side to stabilise import-export activities through border gates, amid different COVID-19 prevention and control measures between the two sides.

A radical solution to prevent farm produce truck congestion at border gates requires understanding the Chinese market well and creating a specific project on boosting exports to China.

Trucks carrying farm produce are still stuck at border gates, causing exports of some vegetables and fruits to fall sharply.

With a population of 1.4 billion, China is an important market for Vietnamese agricultural products. However, this huge market is no longer easy. Instead of importing all kinds of agricultural products, since 2018, China has changed its rules.

Volatile consumption is often an issue for Vietnamese fruit sales during the first three months of the year. Standardisation is the only solution to this problem.

Vietnam exported $3.52 billion worth of vegetables and fruits in 2021, an increase of 8.6 percent over the year before. China remains the biggest client consuming 54.5 percent of the exports.

According to data from the Vietnam General Department of Customs, Vietnam’s total import-export value by June 15, 2021 had reached US$288.68 billion, up 33%, or $71.55 billion, year on year.

Chinese authority on January 12 re-opened its Hekou International Border Gate for imported fresh fruits, including dragon fruit, and frozen foods from Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

China will resume customs clearance at three border crossings in Quang Ninh Province from January 11, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has requested ministries, sectors and localities to closely coordinate with Chinese agencies to speed up customs clearance, striving to have no congestion of cargo trucks at border gates before Tet.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has recommended that farmers increase production based only on market demand and orders.

Millions of tons of farm produce have been put on sale in the domestic market as exports to China are stuck at the border. The prices have fallen dramatically.