Two batches of Vietnamese durian and chili that arrived in Japan were forced to be destroyed in October due to chemical residue exceeding allowed standards.
The Vietnamese trade counselor in Japan said that recently, two shipments of durian and chili imported from Vietnam were sampled and analyzed by the Japanese quarantine agency and found to contain plant protection chemical residues.
Accordingly, a durian shipment of about 1.4 tons was imported through a large enterprise in Vietnam from October 5. When the goods arrived in Japan, the country’s quarantine agency took samples for testing and discovered residues of the active ingredient procymidone at a concentration of 0.03 ppm, while Japan’s allowable standard is 0.01 ppm. This is the active ingredient in pesticides that kills mold. It is considered a toxic substance that is harmful to health.
As for the chili shipment with a total weight of more than 4 tons, the Japanese quarantine agency took samples for testing with 4 active ingredients and found that 2 active ingredients had residues exceeding the allowable threshold, including tricyclazole 0.2 ppm and hexaconazole 0.03. ppm, while the allowable standard is 0.01 ppm.
Before the above violation, both shipments were required to be destroyed by the Japanese quarantine agency.
Durian is purchased and prepared for export warehouse in Cai Lay (Tien Giang). Image: flexible knitting
Talk to VnExpress, Mr. Ta Duc Minh, Vietnam Trade Counselor in Japan, said he had reported information to Vietnamese authorities to warn about the situation of goods violating regulations in the importing country.
According to Mr. Minh, similar violations are not only committed by Vietnam, but also by many fruit shipments from other advanced countries. However, Japan is a demanding market. To have stable exports, businesses must ensure product quality, selling price and supply output.
He recommended that Vietnamese export enterprises when doing business with Japan need to know and fully meet the standards of their country to avoid affecting reputable businesses and Vietnamese brands.
According to the General Department of Customs, in the past 10 months, Japan has been the third largest export market for Vietnamese agriculture, forestry and fishery products, accounting for 7.4% of total export value. Of which, the value of vegetables and fruits exported to Japan reached more than 150 million USD, an increase of 6.6% over the same period last year.
As for durian, in the first 10 months of the year, Vietnam exported nearly 1.3 million USD of fresh durian to Japan, down 12.3% over the same period last year. Frozen durian to Japan reached nearly 1.2 million USD, an increase of 8.3% over the same period in 2022. Durian importers in Japan are mostly small-scale. Products are sold mainly in supermarkets where a large number of Vietnamese people shop.
This year, durian is the fruit with a record high export turnover, leading the Vietnamese fruit and vegetable group and accounting for 51%. Of the total durian export turnover, 94% are fresh goods exported to 8 countries around the world, the remaining 6% are frozen and dried goods. China is still the highest consuming market for Vietnamese durian with a market share of 97%, reaching nearly 1.9 billion USD.
According to VnExpress.net
