According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in May, June, and July, the country exported 7,745 batches of fresh durians totaling over 207,000 tonnes, more than 10 times higher than in the first four months of the year, as well as 560 batches of frozen durians weighing nearly 16,000 tonnes, up almost 64.3%.

To further boost the exports, Director of the Plant Production and Protection Department Huynh Tan Dat said Viet Nam plans to develop a cadmium contamination map for durian-growing areas. This will be a key measure to ensure food safety, meet import market requirements, and sustain export growth.

This is a prerequisite for Vietnamese durians not only to maintain their foothold in China but also to conquer premium markets such as the US, the EU, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, Dat stressed.

He noted that all results will be digitised and integrated into the plantation area management system, allowing authorities, businesses, and farmers to easily access information and proactively prevent risks.

According to the plan, the department will first survey major durian-growing areas. Monitoring so far shows that the southeastern and Central Highlands regions have not recorded significant warnings, so data collection will initially focus on other regions, such as the Mekong Delta. Once completed, the mapping system will be expanded and regularly updated.

Alongside mapping, soil improvement models to reduce heavy metal content will be applied, such as using organic fertilisers, adding lime to raise soil pH, or applying biological products to limit cadmium absorption by the plants.