From May 1, Vietnamese watermelons exported to China with straw lining will be returned.

For about a week now, farmers in Phu Ninh (Quang Nam) have been harvesting watermelons. However, they have to stick Chinese stamps on their watermelons to be able to export them to this market.

Mr. Le Muon - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Nam said that this is a new regulation of China when importing agricultural products.

Quang Nam farmers have to stick Chinese stamps on melons.

In fact, China is currently implementing more stringent regulations on imported fruits in general and watermelons in particular.

Previously, on April 5, the Department of Agricultural Product Processing and Market Development (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) also sent an official dispatch to the Plant Protection Department and the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association regarding the deadline for applying traceability management for imported fruits from China.

Accordingly, from January 1, 2019, agricultural products exported to China must register information about the garden, factory, and packaging and send it to Chinese Customs.

The Department of Agricultural Product Processing and Market Development notes: Vietnamese watermelons exported to China can be labeled with traceability codes or packaged in paper boxes with traceability information.

Exporting enterprises proactively choose to use paper packaging or labels on fruits; proactively choose units to print traceability labels.

From May 1, 2019, Chinese Customs will not allow straw-lined watermelons to clear customs; require the use of foam mesh or pest-free materials to wrap the fruit.

In addition, for jackfruit, it is required to use strong Kraft paper for wrapping or use packaging in a cardboard box with printed traceability information.

Sticking Chinese stamps on Vietnamese watermelons is to export them through official channels to avoid risks.

As for bananas, packaging requirements are cardboard boxes or plastic bags (both must be printed with codes and traceability information).

Regarding the application of Chinese stamps to watermelons, the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) said that product information on the packaging (cargo box, or on the fruit) is agreed upon by the Chinese import enterprise and the Vietnamese export enterprise.

Normally, information about products exported to which country is usually agreed by businesses to be printed in the language of the importing country, possibly with English or just with English stamps.

According to the Plant Protection Department, since 2018, the export of goods and agricultural products to China has been carried out officially, gradually eliminating unofficial exports. Accordingly, agricultural products and fruits must be packaged and labeled with product information according to regulations. This is also a requirement according to international practice.

Regarding fruit products, China has long applied requirements on packaging, labeling and traceability to countries exporting to this country, including ASEAN countries.

However, for Vietnam, due to the characteristics of long-standing border trade with China, the application of regulations on packaging, labeling and product traceability is later than in ASEAN countries.

In 2018, China officially announced the requirement to package and label information on the origin of fruits imported from Vietnam.

According to the appendix of instructions on Chinese origin traceability labels, watermelons and eight other fruits exported to this country must have the following information printed on the product carton: Name of the exporting unit; fruit type; name of the gardener or registration number (ie growing area code); name of the packing plant or registration number (ie packing facility code).

Information about the growing area and packaging facility (growing location, area, output, use of pesticides, packaging location, contact information) through the growing area code registered by localities is sent by the Plant Protection Department to China to be entered into the customs data system.