Vietnam's durian export industry faces a crisis over excessive levels of toxic chemicals.

In recent years, Vietnam's booming durian export industry—a major driver of the country's agricultural revenue—has faced unprecedented challenges. A series of food safety crises involving heavy metal contamination and illegal chemical dyes threatened trade with key markets, most notably China. In response, the Vietnamese government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, local authorities, and private export enterprises orchestrated a comprehensive overhaul spanning source control, trace-to-source systems, regulatory reform, and bilateral customs facilitation.

Between March and June 2024, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) issued alerts regarding cadmium levels exceeding regulatory limits across dozens of durian shipments, leading to suspended import permissions for affected orchards and packing facilities. Taiwan's FDA and the EU also reported similar incidents. By late May 2025, over a thousand containers of Vietnamese durians were delayed or returned at Chinese ports due to non-compliant cadmium residues.

Investigations conducted by MARD and industry leaders—notably Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company—revealed that cadmium accumulation was a structural issue stemming from agricultural inputs. Imported Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer from South Korea's Namhae Chemical Corporation showed cadmium levels reaching 28 mg/kg, more than double Vietnam's national safety limit of 12 mg/kg. Beyond cadmium, illicit intermediaries used Auramine O (a carcinogenic industrial dye) alongside unauthorized chemical ripening cocktails.

To safeguard agricultural trade and restore international confidence, Vietnam launched a multi-pronged reform strategy. Market surveillance agencies cracked down on non-compliant fertilizer imports. MARD initiated background surveys on heavy metals to establish soil risk maps. Authorities revoked Plant Unit Codes and Packing House Codes from non-compliant operations. MARD and GACC established a Joint Working Group on Food Safety and Quality Inspection.

On July 28, 2026, Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security detained Hoang Trung, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, under allegations of accepting bribes and orchestrating an illegal licensing scheme. Other key figures indicted include Nguy?n Quang Hi?u (Deputy Director, Plant Protection Department), Nguy?n Th? Hà (Director, Regional Quarantine Sub-Department No. 7), and B? Th? Thu Hi?n (Head of Friendship Border Gate Quarantine Station).

While Chinese customs have not issued a blanket ban, enforcement at border crossings has intensified with enhanced verification and mandatory batch-by-batch inspections. Vietnam's durian market share in China fell from 42% in 2024 to 28% in 2025. Wholesale Monthong durian prices dropped to 15-16 RMB/kg—a ~30% year-over-year decline.

On April 10, 2026, the first official shipments under a comprehensive traceability model crossed into China via a designated "Green Channel," reducing transit-to-clearance times from 8-11 days down to 6 days. By addressing root causes—from fertilizer quality and soil health to supply chain traceability and bilateral regulatory alignment—Vietnam transformed a major export crisis into an opportunity to modernize its agricultural industry.