HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Hồ Quốc Dũng has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to submit a government resolution by July 15 to simplify procedures for issuing planting area and packing facility codes, as Việt Nam moves to remove bottlenecks affecting agricultural exports ahead of the peak durian harvest.

Speaking at the meeting to address difficulties facing agricultural exports, Deputy PM Dũng said farm, forestry and fishery exports had remained a bright spot for the economy, with the agriculture sector posting strong growth in the first half of 2026 and contributing to the country's overall economic expansion.

However, he said administrative and regulatory hurdles, particularly those arising from Decree No. 38/2026 on planting area and packing facility codes, continued to hamper exports.

These bottlenecks must be removed urgently, Dũng said, adding that farmers' produce should not be left stranded during the harvest because of problems in issuing planting area or packing facility codes, testing procedures or cumbersome administrative requirements.

He asked for the amendments to Decree No.38 to be completed by September this year, while a draft government resolution simplifying administrative procedures for planting area and packing facility codes must be submitted to the government by July 15.

The Deputy PM also asked the ministry to review the entire regulatory framework covering planting area codes, packing facilities, testing laboratories, quarantine procedures and product traceability.

Following the issuance of the resolution, the ministry will launch a 30-day nationwide campaign with provincial authorities to accelerate the issuance of planting area and packing facility codes and resolve implementation problems.

It will also establish task forces to work directly with local authorities to review applications, provide technical guidance and assess staffing needs during the peak export season.

He stressed that administrative reforms must facilitate exports while maintaining strict quality control, protecting the reputation of Vietnamese farm products and ensuring compliance with importing countries' requirements.

Provincial governments will be held directly responsible for managing planting area and packing facility codes, with provincial chairpersons accountable for ensuring applications are processed promptly.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade was instructed to strengthen monitoring of import requirements in key markets including China, the United States, the European Union, Japan and South Korea, while improving early warning systems so exporters can respond quickly to regulatory changes.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyễn Hoàng Hiệp said amendments to Decree No. 38 had become urgent because several provisions had proved impractical, which is delaying the issuance of planting area codes, increasing compliance costs for businesses and slowing agricultural exports as the durian harvest gathers pace.

The ministry has proposed digitising the entire application process, allowing farmers and exporters to submit applications online instead of on paper.

It also plans to shorten processing times, simplify procedures, expand decentralisation to local authorities and shift regulatory oversight from pre-inspection to post-inspection while maintaining compliance with importing countries' standards.

However, Hiệp said waiting until the revised decree is issued in September would be too late because the first durian shipments from the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk are expected to begin within weeks, with the peak export season ending by mid-September.

Hiệu proposed the Government’s resolution be issued early to provide an immediate legal basis for implementing simplified procedures while the broader amendments to Decree No. 38 are being completed. — VNS