Agricultural products expands thanks to strict management of planting area codes

Following a series of events to disseminate regulations and implement commitments on SPS under Free Trade Agreements, Vietnam SPS coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Industry and Trade, and a number of District People's Committees in Son La province to hold a workshop on guiding businesses, cooperatives and farmers with export needs.

At the conference, Ms. Cam Thi Phong, Deputy Director of Son La Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the agricultural sector is a shining example in the province's socio-economic development, with a growth rate of 7.19% compared to that of 2020. This is the highest growth rate in recent years.

Namely, the value of exported goods reached over 161.2 million USD (up by 44%); additionally, 17 agricultural products from Son La province have been exported to 21 foreign markets including the US, Australia, UK, France, Japan, Korea, China, UAE, among others.

"With over 410,000 hectares of fertile agricultural land, thick cultivation layer and sub-temperate climate conditions, Son La has developed and formed a concentrated agricultural raw material area with a large volume of agricultural products. Some agricultural product areas in Son La are among the top in the country", said Ms. Phong.

As the largest fruit production province in the North, with a total fruit tree area of ​​82,805 hectares, Son La's annual output reaches over 450,000 tons. The province currently has 241 planting area codes, with ​​3,865.45 hectares of fruit tree area for export. The cultivation area following good agricultural practices and equivalent standards reaches 5,041 hectares.

Son La Department of Agriculture and Rural Development committed to creating the most favorable conditions to support businesses and traders in purchasing, processing, consuming and exporting agricultural products from Son La province, with emphasis on mango products.

5 presentations were given at the workshop on June 16 from Ms. Luu Thanh Nga, Head of Son La Sub-Department of Cultivation - Plant Protection; Mr. Dao Van Cuong, Vietnam SPS; Mr. Nguyen Dac Binh Binh, Director of the Institute of Regional Research and Development, Ministry of Science and Technology; Mr. Trinh Xuan Hoat, Deputy Director of the Institute of Plant Protection; Mr. Nguyen Manh Hieu, Institute of Agricultural Electrical Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology.

These contents aim to provide information on the requirements, standards and regulations on quality, Sanitary and Phytosanitary, as well as the requirements of Vietnam's main export markets such as China, the US, Japan, the EU, etc. to a large number of agencies, businesses, partners and producers handling Son La agricultural products.

Dr. Le Thanh Hoa emphasized: "The opinions given at the workshop can help farmers produce agricultural products sustainably, in order to meet the requirements of agricultural product consumption, gradually improve the agricultural production value of Son La province".

At the workshop, many opinions were raised about the new regulations by the Chinese market, specifically Order 248 and 249 effective from January 1, 2022.

Dr. Le Thanh Hoa said that some farmers and businesses are still confused about the two new Chinese orders. Specifically, Order 248, Order 249 only focus on food items. Meanwhile, agricultural products including vegetables, tubers and fruits are not affected by these orders.

Regarding the problem of agricultural products held at the border gates, as well as overcoming the standards and regulations in the technical barriers of the export markets, the Director of Vietnam SPS emphasized the strict management of planting area codes.

An example has been made when the mango products of My Xuong Cooperative, Dong Thap province were impersonated with a planting area code when exporting to China in 2020, Mr. Hoa shared: "The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is currently proposing that planting area codes are under local management. This is a premise for Son La agricultural products as well as Vietnamese agricultural products to expand far and wide into the international market."