Vinh Long exports first batch of sweet potatoes to China
PSNews - The first batch of 84 tonnes of sweet potatoes from Vinh Long bound for China was announced at a ceremony held in the Mekong Delta province on April 19. The shipment is part of a pilot scheme to export sweet potatoes to China after the northern neighbour recently agreed to purchase the Vietnamese product.
The export of the first shipment of sweet potatoes also showed that the quality of the province's potato products has improved, meeting the requirements of the General Administration of Customs China.
As reported, after several rounds of negotiations, China’s General Administration of Customs inspected three sweet potato growing areas and three packing facilities in Vietnam in November 2022 and shortly signed a protocol with the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to import the Vietnamese staple.
China is the largest importer of Vietnamese sweet potatoes, although exports have been largely carried out via unofficial channels, a factor which poses many risks for both farmers and businesses.
The official export of sweet potatoes to China is anticiapted to open up opportunities for Vietnamese farmers as they seek to further develop the product and add economic value.
Vinh Long province boasts the largest sweet potato growing area in the Mekong Delta region, with around 10,000 hectares under sweet potato cultivation and an average output of 300,000 tonnes per year.
Vinh Long’s agriculture sector has coordinated with departments and localities to guide farmers to improve the cultivation and harvesting processes as well as apply scientific advances to enhance productivity, creating products that satisfy strict demand on quality, food safety and consumer health in line with international standards.
At present, Vietnam has 11 fruits which are exported via official channels to the Chinese market. It has so far signed protocols with China on phytosanitary requirements for three types, namely mangosteen, passion fruit, and durian.
