Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports have seen a significant increase in Q1 2024, reaching 1.25 billion USD, a 27% rise from the same period in 2023. The majority of these exports were to China, accounting for 61.5% of the total export value. However, concerns have been raised about Vietnamese durian shipments to China being contaminated with cadmium, a heavy metal exceeding China's food safety regulations. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued a circular on the traceability, recall, and handling of unsafe food, and has called for a review of food safety conditions.