The Vietnam SPS Office has informed the Plant Protection Department, the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, and the Vietnam Beekeeping Association that the EU is collecting opinions from World Trade Organisation members on plans to adjust the MRL (maximum residue level) of some active elements.

The EU has proposed a reduction of the MRL for Zoxomide in lettuce, salads, and spinach from 30ppm to 0.01ppm (down 3,000 times). The default level of 0.01ppm us applied by the EU to active substances that do not have an MRL and no common database.

Zoxamide is a fungicide used to control a wide range of fungi, including potato and tomato leaf blight. 

Ngo Xuan Nam, deputy head of the SPS Vietnam Office, said the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that no significant acute toxicity from zoximide was discovered. However, it is considered a potent skin sensitizer and has the potential to cause inhalation sensitization.

While the EU wants to reduce the Zoxomide MRL on lettuce, salads and spinach, it would lift the Zoxomide MRL on onion, garlic and tomato. The four-fold MRL increase for tomato would be from 0.5ppm to 2ppm.

Also, the EU has proposed adjusting the MRLs for Fenbuconazole, Penconazole and Acetamiprid on some products such as rice, pepper, honey, and some vegetables and fruits.

For Fenbuconazole and Penconazole, citrus fruits and nuts (cashews, macadamia nuts, rice and okra) may be required to have a very low MRL, just 0.01ppm. An MRL of 0.05ppm has been proposed for coffee, pepper and honey.

As for Acetamiprid, the new MRLs would be 0.01ppm instead of 0.4ppm on bananas, and 0.06ppm instead of 0.5ppm for tomatoes.

Nam said the EU regulation is expected to take effect in February 2025.

Producers have six months to adopt the new regulation. Therefore, Vietnam needs to control the residue of the four active elements to satisfy the EU’s requirements.

The EU is Vietnam’s key farm produce export market. The increase in the number of warnings from the market occurred in the first six months of the year. 

The EU has increased the frequency of examination of imports from Vietnam. Vietnam products under stricter examination include dragon fruit (30 percent), chili (50 percent), okra (50 percent), and durian (10 percent).

Tam An