Vietnamese Fruit Exporters Adjust to Tougher China Import Requirements

Photo by Linh Pham on Unsplash

Summary

Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports reached an estimated USD 2.98 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 29.4% year-on-year, with China absorbing 49.5% of the total. Durian led the category at USD 293.13 million, surging 59.7%, while the share of processed products rose from 29.33% to 35.82%. From 1 June, China’s GACC Order 280 imposed new documentation requirements on 2,589 agricultural products, mandating matching confirmation letters and foreign enterprise registration codes for customs clearance. Experts forecast China’s total fruit imports will approach 15 million tonnes in 2026, with quality and compliance standards becoming increasingly demanding.

Summary in Chinese

2026年前5个月，越南果蔬出口额估计达29.8亿美元，同比增长29.4%，中国占其出口总值的49.5%。鲜冷冻榴莲以2.93亿美元领跑，同比激增59.7%，加工产品占比从29.33%提升至35.82%。自6月1日起，中国海关总署第280号令对2589种农产品实施新的单证要求，进口货物须附带与报关信息精确匹配的确认函和境外企业注册编号。专家预测2026年中国水果进口总量将接近1500万吨，质量和合规标准日趋严格。

Comment

Vietnam’s experience under Order 280 is a live case study that NZ exporters should study carefully. The regulation shifts China’s border inspection from volume-based sampling to risk-based quarantine assessment, meaning that suppliers with strong GAP certification, clean pesticide residue records and transparent processing systems will clear customs faster and face fewer disruptions. NZ exporters already benefit from robust food safety systems, but the Vietnamese experience underscores that Chinese import compliance is tightening across the board — not just for developing-country suppliers. It is worth auditing your own documentation chain to ensure every link from farm gate to Chinese border meets the new matching-requirements threshold.

Comment in Chinese

越南在第280号令下的经验是一个值得NZ出口商认真研究的活案例。该法规将中国边境检验从基于数量的抽检转向基于风险的检疫评估，意味着拥有良好GAP认证、干净农药残留记录和透明加工体系的供应商将更快通关并减少干扰。NZ出口商已从健全的食品安全体系中受益，但越南的经验强调，中国进口合规正在全面收紧——不仅限于发展中国家供应商。建议审视自身的单证链条，确保从农场到中国边境的每个环节都满足新的匹配要求标准。