The disruptions emerged in late January at a number of road, sea and air border checkpoints after Decree 46/2026/ND-CP on food safety management took effect on January 26.

After emergency measures were taken to facilitate clearance, congestions at border gates, including Tay Ninh, were largely resolved by January 31 afternoon, the ministry said, adding that customs clearance gradually returned to normal ahead of Tet (Lunar New Year) peak.

The ministry attributed the congestion to changes in inspection procedures under the new decree, which introduced risk-based food safety controls aligned with international practices. However, the immediate implementation of the new decree without detailed guidance on sampling methods and testing timelines created difficulties at border checkpoints.

Between January 26 - 29, more than 700 consignments totalling 300,000 tonnes were held up nationwide, mainly fresh vegetables, fruits, rice, cassava and some packaged processed foods, to wait for test results which typically took 5-7 days, creating disruptions.

To deal with the issue, the agriculture ministry works with the Food Safety Department under the Ministry of Health to clarify inspection procedures for imported plant products and facilitate clearance.

On January 30, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung chaired an urgent meeting with the Department of Customs and the Legal Department to address legal bottlenecks in implementing the decree and ensure a consistent interpretation of the rules to avoid further delays.

As a result, most congestion points had been eased by Saturday afternoon.

The agriculture ministry will report problems arising during the implementation of Decree 46 and send it to the Ministry of Health by February 1 for review. The ministry also urged the early issuance of clear guidance to ensure consistent nationwide enforcement.

The ministry added that it would focus on enhancing management of food safety based on a risk-based approach and consumer health protection while facilitating import and import.