Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has proposed decentralizing food safety inspections for imported goods to provincial authorities and moving towards a controlled post-inspection system. This recommendation comes in response to severe congestion at border gates, which saw approximately 300,000 tons of imported goods, primarily fresh agricultural products and processed foods, backlogged for inspection within just four days, from 26/1 to 29/1. The Ministry aims to reduce pressure at border gates, shorten customs clearance times, and lower costs for businesses, particularly for fresh agricultural products.

To address the immediate challenges, the Ministry also recommended that the Government assign the Ministry of Health to lead the review and immediate amendment of Decree 46/2026 or issue temporary guiding documents. This measure would enable local authorities to proactively prevent recurring congestion based on the monitoring processes of ministries and agencies.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment's report, tightening food safety controls under Decree 46 is necessary given recent safety violations. However, implementing this decree without detailed guidelines and a clear transition mechanism has caused significant difficulties for businesses.

Many consignments now require additional physical inspections and sample testing, extending the waiting period for results to five to seven days. Compounding the issue are limited warehousing and inadequate storage conditions at border gates, especially land border gates, which increase the risk of spoilage and raise costs for businesses. Furthermore, current regulations do not clearly specify testing criteria and applicable standards for fresh agricultural products, leaving both inspection agencies and businesses uncertain.

Another challenge highlighted by the Ministry is the new requirement for inspection registration dossiers for fresh agricultural products and goods not subject to conformity declaration to include a product standard document. This requirement lacks specific guidance on forms and content, causing difficulties for businesses and agencies during the dossier appraisal process.

The pressure intensified as the decree's implementation coincided with the period leading up to the Lunar New Year. This time typically sees a surge in demand for imported fresh agricultural products, further straining border gate warehouses that could not meet storage requirements. Current regulations also do not permit businesses to move goods to private warehouses while awaiting test results, increasing the risk of economic losses.

Previously, according to statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs (Ministry of Finance), on 30/1, approximately 1,300 vehicles carrying agricultural products and food were congested at various border gates. Specifically, Kim Thanh International Border Gate (Lao Cai) had about 300 vehicles with fresh agricultural products (vegetables, tubers, fruits) and confectionery awaiting food safety test results for customs clearance. Similarly, Hoa Lu Border Gate (Dong Nai) had 251 vehicles, Lao Bao (Quang Tri) had 50 vehicles, Dinh Ba (Dong Thap) had 100 vehicles, and Vinh Xuong (An Giang) had 200 vehicles.

Congestion of imported agricultural products due to the implementation of Decree 46. *Photo: N.N*.

Some localities, such as Tay Ninh, took proactive steps by issuing temporary guidelines to resolve the issue, allowing agricultural products to clear customs while awaiting further instructions. By the afternoon of 31/1, all agricultural vehicles congested at Tay Ninh's border gate area had been cleared. A representative from the Department of Plant Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) also confirmed that the goods congestion at many border gates was largely resolved by the afternoon of 31/1.

Gia Chinh - Thi Ha