Exporting goods through the northern border gates is tough

HIGHLIGHTS

Every day, more than 3,000 containers are stranded at Lang Son’s border gates. These containers are mostly vehicles transporting agricultural produce and fruits.
On December 10, 4000 trucks carrying supplies and agricultural products waited for customs clearance at the Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh, and Chi Ma border gates.
Customs clearance capacity at Lang Son’s three border crossings has been cut in half, to roughly 220 automobiles per day.

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Thousands of cargo trucks stranded at northern border crossing

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Vuong, deputy director of the Customs Department of Lang Son province, said that on average, more than 3,000 containers are stranded at the province’s border crossings every day. In particular, these containers are mainly trucks carrying agricultural products and fruits.

Also in Lang Son, as of December 10, there were 4,000 trucks carrying goods and agricultural products waiting for customs clearance at 3 border gates of Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh and Chi Ma. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, at Chi Ma border gate alone, the traffic of vehicles waiting in this area has reached 730 vehicles.

The number of vehicles waiting at the Chi Ma border gate has risen to 730. — At the Chi Ma border crossing alone, there are approximately 730 cargo cars awaiting clearance

According to Mr. Le Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Product Processing and Market Development, said that the clearance capacity at The Friendship, Tan Thanh and Chi Ma border gates in Lang Son has only been about 220 vehicles per day, down to 50% compared to the past. The total clearance capacity of these three border gates averages only 500 vehicles per day.

In addition to Lang Son, Mong Cai border gate in Quang Ninh also faces a similar situation when there are up to 800 frozen seafood trucks (basa fish, frozen shrimp, etc.) and 300 containers of fruits and vegetables still in stock.

Solutions to solve difficulties

For regions specializing in exporting goods and agricultural products such as South Central, Southeast and Mekong Delta, Mr. Tran Thanh Nam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development suggested timely updating information from border gates in Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, etc. for enterprises to regulate the flow of goods and avoid congestion when putting on the border gate.

In addition, enterprises need to continue to promote official exports, contracted transactions and exploit the opportunity that China is about to open the market for passion fruit, durian and sweet potato of Vietnam to reduce risks when clearing customs through border gates in the North.

Businesses and localities should place a greater emphasis on processing and preserving agricultural goods

Along with that, businesses and localities should focus heavily on the processing and preservation of agricultural products. This helps businesses avoid damaged agricultural products, avoid price pressure, waste logistics costs, storage, yards, transportation along the way, etc.

According to Mr. Vo Huy Hoang, chairman of the Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association, expressed the view that Vietnamese businesses should limit their road exports, instead switching to sea travel or finding orders in other markets outside China like Singapore, Dubai, India, Malaysia, etc.

Huyen Tu

Containers are stuck at the border gate, agricultural products are “congested”

Source: sggp.org.vn