At noon on March 27, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment provided further clarification regarding reports that Vietnamese dragon fruit has been subjected to increased inspection levels when exported to the EU market.
According to the Ministry, Vietnamese dragon fruit is currently subject to enhanced controls under Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, with an inspection frequency of 30 percent, not 50 percent as previously reported by some sources. Several other products are also under heightened control, including chili peppers at 50 percent, okra at 50 percent, and durian at 20 percent. Passion fruit is not currently subject to the EU’s enhanced control measures.
Regarding the report titled “Results of Monitoring and Control of Pesticide Residues” by France, the Ministry stated that it has not yet received an official version through the SPS inquiry point or via the Vietnam Trade Office in France. However, according to information published on the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s portal, the report is based on inspection results from 2024.
The Ministry noted that immediately after receiving non-compliance notifications from the EU concerning violations of maximum residue limits, it directed relevant specialized agencies to conduct traceability, investigate causes, and complete corrective reports submitted to the EU’s competent authorities.
In addition, the Ministry has regularly issued directives and organized conferences to guide and urge local authorities, associations, industries, and businesses to strengthen food safety control, especially for export goods. It has also promoted integrated pest management processes and implemented biological control programs to reduce the use of pesticides in production.
