On November 3, the Department of Investigation of Crimes Related to Corruption, Economy, and Smuggling under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) launched a criminal case involving charges of “bribery, accepting bribes, bribery brokerage, serious violations of accounting regulations, and abuse of influence for personal gain.” The case occurred at the Center for Verification Testing and Quality Services (Retaq), NhoNho Technology, Thuy Fruit, and several other related entities. Seventeen defendants, including several company directors, have been charged.

Earlier, investigators discovered that some individuals were trading plantation codes and falsified quality testing certificates in the business and export of Vietnamese durian to China, along with multiple accounting violations.

These actions caused serious financial damage to the state, disrupted the operations of legitimate businesses, and led to the export of mislabeled and substandard products harming the reputation and competitiveness of Vietnamese farm produce.

In recent years, after the official export protocol for durian to China was signed, export turnover of the fruit surged. In 2024, durian exports brought $3.2 billion, making it the highest-value fruit in Vietnam’s horticultural sector.

In the first nine months of 2025, durian exports reached $2.77 billion, with China accounting for 93.6 percent of Vietnam’s total durian export value.

Besides China, durian exports to other markets have also recorded strong year-on-year growth. Specifically, exports to Hong Kong (China) rose 83.7 percent, to Taiwan (China) 65 percent, to the US 27.5 percent, to Canada 46.2 percent, and to Japan and Australia by 17.7 percent and 33.2 percent, respectively.

To access the Chinese market, exporters must comply with strict requirements, including approved plantation codes, packing house codes, and quality testing certificates for auramine O and cadmium. Notably, these codes and laboratories must be directly approved by China’s General Administration of Customs.

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) emphasized that if violations are detected, China may revoke plantation codes and laboratory licenses, or even suspend or ban durian imports.

Despite repeated warnings, fraudulent activities in durian exports continued.

In late 2024, the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit) issued an “emergency notice,” strongly condemning fraud involving the illegal duplication and unauthorized use of durian plantation and packing codes.

According to the association, certain individuals forged authorization contracts, seals, and signatures to deceive businesses and evade regulatory oversight for profit.

Vinafruit called for stronger inspection and supervision of packing and export facilities, strict penalties for violations, and closer cooperation with import-country authorities to prevent trade fraud.

In mid-May, chair of the Dak Lak Durian Association also sent a letter to MAE, noting that several laboratories recognized by Chinese authorities for testing auramine O and cadmium had their licenses revoked, complicating export testing procedures.

Around the same time, the Prime Minister issued an urgent directive on durian exports, ordering MPS to investigate and strictly handle fraud involving plantation and packing codes, falsified export documents, and other violations in durian production, processing, and trade.

The head of the Plant Protection Department (now the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection) admitted that due to violations, hundreds of plantation codes had already been revoked by China.

As of May 21, after excluding revoked codes, Vietnam had a total of 1,469 approved durian plantation areas and 188 packing facilities eligible to export to China.

Vietnam now has 24 laboratories recognized by China, with a combined capacity of about 3,200 samples per day.

However, in late October, nearly 2,000 containers of durian from Dak Lak were left stranded at warehouses and border checkpoints because testing laboratories had temporarily suspended operations for maintenance.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha then ordered an immediate inspection to determine the causes and responsibilities behind the testing disruption.

Durian has now become a “billion-dollar fruit” in Vietnam, helping farmers earn stable incomes and even prosper. However, for sustainable growth, this industry chain must be done properly and more seriously.

The prosecution of 17 individuals involved in durian export violations to China serves as a strong warning against fraudulent business practices.

The anti-corruption and economic crime department continues to gather evidence to clarify the defendants’ offenses and expand the investigation to fully uncover and handle organized violations and related individuals.

Currently, Vietnam has about 148,000ha of durian plantations, with this year’s output estimated at more than 1.5 million tons. MAE estimates that around 200,000 tons of durian remain available for export in the last two months of the year.

According to Dang Phuc Nguyen from Vinafruit, despite many challenges, durian export value could surpass the record set in 2024 thanks to a sharp increase in production. 

Tam An