Trucks wait for custom clearance at Tan Thanh Border Gate. Photo by TTXVN.

According to the Dong Dang Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board, the congestion has happened since early March but worsened in recent days as the number of arriving trucks has sharply increased.

"It is the main crop for many kinds of fruits that can be exported to China including jackfruits, durian, dragon fruits, and mango," the board said. " More than 1,000 trucks carrying fruit arrive at the gate every day while we can only clear half of this number."

As of March 30 evening, more than 800 container trucks were still stuck at Dong Dang Gate, 230 at Huu Nghi Gate, and 480 at Tan Thanh Gate.

The Lang Son Provincial Department of Industry and Trade has informed export firms and relevant agencies about the situation at the local border gate so that they may have plans to reduce the number of trucks sent during this time.

It is expected that the customs clearance process will be performed more quickly in two weeks when China completes their database.

Earlier serious congestion of container trucks carrying agricultural products also occurred many times in Lang Son and many other northern border gates between 2020-2022 when China tightened Covid-19 preventive measures.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is planning to shift from unofficial and small-scale shipments at border gates to export through official channels to China from 2025, which aims to solve the frequent congestion at the border gates of the two countries.

Source: Dtinews