- Vietnam prioritises traceability, quality and food safety to support export growth.
- The traceability push could create opportunities for agtech.
- Vietnam’s durian exports expected to reach US$2bn in 2026.
Speaking at a government press conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Dang Ngoc Diep said the foundation of the durian export industry should be built on product quality, food safety, and traceability.
The comments come as durians have quickly become one of Vietnam’s key exports, accounting for around 45% of total exports in the fruit and vegetables sector.
In 2025, Vietnam recorded approximately US$3.85bn in export value, up from US$177.7m just four years ago in 2021.
This year, durian exports reached approximately US$1.47 billion in the first seven months, up 44.1% year on year.
According to the ministry, the 2026 export value of durians is nearing US$2bn.
The authorities acknowledge that future growth will depend increasingly on the industry’s ability to meet stricter food safety and traceability requirements rather than simply expanding production.
China has remained the largest importer, accounting for more than 95% of exports. However, authorities have been working to diversify its markets, most recently adding India as an importer in July.
These efforts have opened up more doors to growth, however, the minister acknowledged that the durian export sector faces several difficulties and risks.
Given the importance of durian exports, he said it was imperative that the industry shift away from a reactive attitude towards problem solving and instead adopt a more proactive approach that identifies and addresses potential issues before the arise.
Electronic traceability
On July 1, the ministry officially implemented an electronic traceability system for agricultural products, including exported durian.
The initiative was designed to strengthen oversight across the supply chain, allowing products to be tracked from growing areas through packing facilities and export channels.
Dang said the country is working to standardise quality management, food safety controls and traceability systems while accelerating digital transformation across the sector.
The push reflects growing recognition that compliance infrastructure is becoming just as important as production capacity in maintaining access to major import markets.
The country currently has 1,599 registered growing-area codes and 281 active packing-house codes.
For 2026, Vietnam’s total durian cultivation area is estimated to be around 200,000 hectares, with output projected at approximately 2.08m tonnes.
The growing importance of traceability could create opportunities for providers of digital agriculture and supply chain technologies.
In a similar vein, Vietnam has been strengthening its testing capacity for export products.
The ministry highlighted that its network of testing laboratories approved by China has expanded significantly.
This has helped exporters meet increasingly stringent food safety requirements and reducing risks associated with quality violations.
The ministry said it would continue investing in laboratory infrastructure, particularly for testing indicators such as cadmium and Yellow O that are closely monitored by importing countries.
Authorities also plan to further standardise and digitalise testing procedures, improve transparency around processing times and costs, and increase training for laboratory personnel.
Reducing risks with diversification
Beyond traceability, officials are pursuing a broader strategy to strengthen the sector.
The ministry plans to diversify export markets, expand trade promotion activities and increase shipments of frozen and processed durian products.
It considers market like India, Australia and New Zealand as promising prospects for the future.
