HCMC – The volume of agricultural products exported to China through the Lao Cai border gate stood at only 50% of pre-pandemic levels due to slow customs clearance.

The Chinese authority still imposes special requirements for goods transfers across the border, which slows down the speed of goods transport from Vietnam to China.

Vietnam has allowed Chinese drivers from the Hekou border gate to transport goods through the Lao Cai border gate directly to the collection points without using transfer vehicles.

The demand for Vietnamese dragon fruit in the Chinese market plunged when this country expanded its area for growing this type of fruit. Currently, only 15-20 trucks of dragon fruit are cleared by the Chinese customs daily.

Apart from the slow customs clearance process, the complicated inspection procedures have led to relatively high costs at the Hekou border gate. China announced that it would not reduce fees until the end of March when some inspection procedures are removed.

Despite the hindrances to agri-product exports, the Lao Cai border customs division has cleared over 80,000 tons of Vietnamese agricultural products worth nearly US$40 million since early this year.

The main agricultural products exported through the Lao Cai border gate are dragon fruit, mango, watermelon, rambutan, jackfruit, sweet potato and banana.