Lam Dong durian enters the race for standardisation

Over 13,000 hectares of durian gain an ‘export passport’

On July 31, 2026, the Government issued Resolution No. 36/2026/NQ-CP, simplifying administrative procedures for growing area codes and packing facility codes. The resolution is expected to remove bottlenecks in the code issuance process and facilitate agricultural exports.

“

According to data updated through July 2026 by the Lam Dong Agricultural Extension Centre, the province has 44,283.47 hectares of durian, of which 22,850.8 hectares, or 51.6%, are at the harvesting stage. In 2025, durian output reached around 284,287 tonnes, with an average yield of 12.6 tonnes per hectare.

This scale makes Lam Dong the province with the largest durian-growing area in Vietnam. Of the total, around 14,400 hectares, or nearly 33%, are cultivated using high-tech farming methods, while about 1,015 hectares are certified under VietGAP standards.

Many growing areas have adopted water-saving irrigation, fertigation and safe cultivation practices, gradually meeting increasingly stringent export market requirements.

Alongside expanding cultivation, Lam Dong has focused on developing a growing area code system in recent years to standardise production zones, strengthen traceability and support official exports.

“

According to recently released data, China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) has approved 961 growing area codes covering more than 39,360 hectares of crops in Lam Dong. Durian accounts for 346 codes covering over 13,297 hectares.

According to Ha Ngoc Chien, head of the provincial Sub-department of Crop Promotion and Plant Protection, Lam Dong's durian-growing area is projected to reach around 45,550 hectares in 2026, including nearly 23,951 hectares under production, with output exceeding 310,000 tonnes.

The expansion is increasing pressure to standardise production areas, expand export-eligible acreage and strengthen quality control.

A significant shift is taking place with the implementation of the Government's Resolution No. 36/2026/NQ-CP, which simplifies administrative procedures for growing area and packing facility codes.

Instead of being handled mainly at the provincial level, procedures for issuing and reissuing codes, as well as suspending, revoking and reinstating them, will now be handled directly by commune-level People's Committee chairpersons in accordance with regulations. Local authorities are also responsible for post-approval inspections and for guiding organisations and individuals in establishing, maintaining and using the codes.

The decentralisation is expected to address a long-standing bottleneck, as production areas are managed locally while applications, information verification and administrative procedures previously had to pass through multiple levels.

Clear responsibilities, stronger post-approval quality control

Under the Provincial People's Committee's direction, the Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Environment serves as the provincial focal point, compiling codes that meet importing countries' requirements for submission to central authorities. It is also responsible for informing commune-level authorities of approvals, non-compliance cases and other relevant information.

Notably, lists of growing area and packing facility codes must be made publicly available and regularly updated with details including the holder, address, product, area, export market and status - such as active, pending approval, suspended or revoked - allowing organisations and individuals to easily access the information.

The department is also responsible for guiding communes, wards and Phu Quy Special Zone in issuing and managing the codes, conducting inspections to ensure technical requirements are met at growing areas and packing facilities, and training farmers and businesses on their proper use and maintenance.

Phan Nguyen Hoang Tan, Director of the Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Environment, said that alongside promoting production, the sector is placing particular emphasis on monitoring growing areas and packing facilities, ensuring food safety and strengthening traceability for exports.

These measures are among the sector's key priorities for sustaining growth in the final months of 2026.

For durian, such requirements are particularly important as cultivation expands rapidly while export markets impose increasingly stringent standards for pesticide residues, heavy metals and product traceability.

“

Bringing the code issuance process to the commune level not only brings regulators closer to producers, but more importantly establishes a management mechanism directly at production areas. Local authorities take direct responsibility, while the agriculture and environment sector provides guidance, inspection and oversight.

Phan Nguyen Hoang Tan, Director of the Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Environment

With more than 44,000 hectares of durian and output expected to continue rising sharply, decentralising the management of growing area codes is expected to help Lam Dong expand certified production areas and protect the reputation of its durian in export markets.