Efforts to proceed customs clearance for export fresh fruits

(LSO) – At this time, due to China’s tightening the Covid-19 epidemic control at the border gates, there are over 800 trucks left in the parking lots at ​​Tan Thanh Border Gate, 630 trucks at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, over 120 trucks at Coc Nam Border Gate, over 100 trucks at Chi Ma Border Gate. Of the export goods trucks waiting at the border gates, fresh fruit trucks account for more than 80%.

   A sharp reduction in trucks undergoing customs clearance

At this time, China is tightening the epidemic control at the border gates. Accordingly, since April 7, 2020, Chinese authorities have strictly controlled drivers, not allowing drivers from Vietnamese provinces where there are Covid-19 epidemic cases to enter China. At the same time, it is proposed to set up a specialized driving team at the border gates to transport goods through the international border gate: Huu Nghi (Vietnam) – You Yi Guan (China) and the auxiliary border gate: Tan Thanh (Vietnam) – Pu Zhai (China), only those whose names are on the list of the driving team (with the medical card issued by Vietnamese health agencies) are allowed to transport import and export goods to and from the two sides of the border gates.

In addition, Guangxi (China) only allows customs clearance of goods through Huu Nghi International Border Gate, Dong Dang International Railway Station Border Gate, Chi Ma Border Gate, Tan Thanh Border Gate and Coc Nam Border Gate (other border gates and crossings are temporarily closed). Customs clearance time has been also reduced to five hours/day, and weekends are off.

The border guards at Huu Nghi International Border Gate are separating export truck flows

This leads to a sharp reduction in the number of cargo trucks doing customs clearance through five border gates in the province. Specifically, from April 7 to the end of April 9, on average only over 400 trucks undertook customs clearance every day, of which, fresh fruit trucks made up 80%, reducing about 600 trucks compared to the same period in March 2020 (in March 2020, on average over 1,000 trucks proceeded customs clearance every day). Typically, at Tan Thanh Border Gate – the gate with the largest volume of export fresh fruit and dried agricultural product trucks, in the past few days, only about 80 trucks have undergone customs clearance every day, while in March 2020, there were daily customs clearance of 130-150 trucks.

   Maximum priority for export fresh fruit trucks

Facing that situation, the Provincial People’s Committee has been implementing solutions to remove difficulties in exporting goods. Mr. Phung Quang Hoi, Director of Department of Industry and Trade said: Following the direction of the Provincial People’s Committee, the Department of Industry and Trade regularly updates the situation of import and export, especially the export of fresh fruits, thereby informing Provincial and City Departments of Industry and Trade all over the country to notify businesses, therefore enable the regulation of the proper number of export fresh fruit trucks, to avoid businesses’ loss caused by congestion.

Mentioning this issue, Mr. Vy Cong Tuong, Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department said: Lang Son Customs Department has directed five Customs Branches at the border gates to conduct customs clearance of goods with concentrated resources, apply appropriate solutions, support and prioritize procedures for export fresh fruit trucks. Accordingly, the border gate customs have actively had talks with relevant Chinese agencies to promptly handle and solve problems arising in the process of exporting agricultural products in general and fresh fruits in particular. Currently, the customs clearance time for fresh fruit products only takes about one minute, the inspection and testing time for fruit products is also shortened to the maximum.

As far as concerned, at this moment, Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board, Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Health have set up a driving team of transporting export goods at the border gates (these drivers will be granted medical cards, get regular medical checks and stay in the quarantined area at border gates). At the same time, the border guards and traffic police have elaborated a detailed plan on vehicle regulation and flow to prevent congestion at the border gates. In particular, at the border gates, the border guards have separated fresh fruit truck flow.

Mr. Hoang Dinh Tue, Deputy Head of Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board said: by the afternoon of April 10, nearly 400 fresh fruit trucks of Vietnamese enterprises left over in Chinese parking lots had completed procedures and got released. At the same time, the specialized driving team for export goods at Huu Nghi International Border Gate and Tan Thanh Border Gate was established. At Coc Nam and Chi Ma Border Gate, such driving teams will be set up on April 13. Therefore, in the coming days, the number of export goods trucks in general, fresh fruit trucks in particular enjoying customs clearance will increase.

All solutions which departments, branches and forces at Lang Son province’s border gates are implementing with a view to enabling faster customs clearance for export fresh fruit trucks, thereby solving problems for commodity export activities at this time, and help businesses export fresh fruits as quickly as possible.