In the context of increasingly tightened technical requirements by import markets, planting area codes are no longer simply a condition for "sufficient export dossiers" but have become a mandatory traceability tool. Mr. Ha Ngoc Chien - Head of the Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Lam Dong province - said that planting area codes are issued by state management agencies when they fully meet technical requirements and must be maintained continuously. For the Chinese market, dossiers must also be considered and approved by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) for many items.
Only planting areas on the list approved by GACC are allowed to officially export to China. If violating traceability regulations or technical requirements, the code may be suspended or revoked" - Mr. Chien said.
Because of the increasing value of the planting area code, in some places, the situation of borrowing, renting, and buying and selling codes has appeared. According to the Government's assessment, this is an act that seriously affects the reputation of Vietnam's agricultural exports.
The whole province currently has 961 planting area codes with an area of more than 39,360ha and 362 packaging facility codes approved by the Chinese side. Although no cases of buying and selling or leasing codes have been detected in the area, the agricultural sector determines that the risk is still present.
Many households and businesses have not fully seen the long-term value of the planting area code. This is a point that easily leads to lending, leasing or buying and selling codes. Therefore, we focus on early prevention" - Mr. Ha Ngoc Chien emphasized.
The Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection has provided each commune with a specific list of growing areas and packaging facilities that have been granted codes, are requesting codes, are being temporarily suspended or revoked for management and supervision.
At the same time, the Economic Security Force of Lam Dong Provincial Police coordinates with functional agencies to strengthen grasping the situation, promptly detect and handle acts of taking advantage of agricultural production and business activities to violate the law.
According to the agricultural sector, the involvement of functional agencies is a necessary condition, but a sufficient condition is that people, cooperatives and businesses must proactively comply with regulations on planting area codes, traceability and product quality.
