The Lao Cai Border Gate Customs Sub-Department has been creating the best possible conditions for exporting agricultural products, especially lychee, through Kim Thanh International Land Border Gate No. 2 as the harvest season for this specialty fruit has come.

The sub-department reported on May 30 that since the beginning of this year, 7,800 tonnes of fresh lychee worth more than 4.7 million USD has been exported through Kim Thanh International Land Border Gate No. 2, up 55% year on year. Each day, an average of 200 vehicles transporting fresh lychee from the northern provinces of Bac Giang, Hung Yen and Hai Duong pass this border gate.

This fruit is given high priority in customs clearance, deputy head of the sub-department Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh said, noting that an additional 7-10 customs personnel have been deployed to handle procedures, ensuring the fastest possible customs clearance for the produce.

Alongside, the sub-department has directed its staff to work 30 minutes earlier than the border gate opening time, while controling vehicle flows to ensure lychee is exported as soon as possible, right in the morning, she said.

The official added that the authority has also updated exporters with China's standards for farm produce imports, and given them guidance in making customs declarations.

Vu Ngoc Nam from the An Nguyen Import-Export Company, based in the northern province of Lao Cai, said that his firm has received great support from the customs agency in shipping farm produce to China.

Vuong Trinh Quoc, Director of the Lao Cai Economic Zone Management Board, said that lychee exports are predicted to double the current volume. Meanwhile, a number fruits in the southern region are also entering the peak harvest season, so the number of vehicles carrying exports through the border gate is forecast to surge.

To gear up for the situation and support import-export activities, the board has directed relevant agencies to focus on controlling the flow of vehicles transporting farm produce, especially fresh lychee, while ensuring open and transparent export procedures so that exporters understand and carry out the procedures fully and quickly, he said.

The board has also informed the Chinese side on the time and volume of lychee exported through the Kim Thanh border gate, enabling it to speed up customs clearance, Quoc added./.