Vietnam will launch a cadmium contamination map to promote durian exports.

According to data from Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in May, June, and July, Vietnam exported 7,745 batches of fresh durian, with a total weight exceeding 207,000 tons, more than a tenfold increase compared to the first four months of this year; frozen durian totaled 560 batches, with a total weight of nearly 16,000 tons, an increase of nearly 64.3%.

To further promote exports, Huynh Tan Dat, Director of the Department of Plant Production and Protection, stated that Vietnam plans to map cadmium contamination in durian production areas. This is not only a prerequisite for Vietnam's durian to gain a foothold in China but also an important premise for helping Vietnam's durian enter high-end markets such as the United States, the European Union, Japan, and South Korea. All results will be digitized and integrated into the planting area management system, making it easy for the government, enterprises, and farmers to access information and proactively prevent risks.

The department will first conduct surveys in major durian-growing areas. Given that current monitoring shows no major alerts in the southeastern and western highlands of Vietnam, data collection will initially focus on other regions such as the Mekong Delta. Once completed, the mapping system will be updated regularly.

In addition to mapping, Vietnam will also reduce heavy metal content through soil improvement, such as using organic fertilizers, adding lime to increase soil pH, or using biological products to limit plant absorption of cadmium.

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