The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA, Minister Lee Dong-phil) announced that the phytosanitary quarantine authorities of the Republic of Korea and Socialist Republic of Vietnam finally concluded ‘the Requirements of Korean Strawberry Exports into Vietnam’ as of January 14th, 2016.
This agreement enables the export of Korean strawberries to Vietnam as of February 1st, when the Vietnamese government will start issuing ‘Phytosanitary Import Permit’ for Korean Strawberry*.
The strawberry export will be only available when there is an import permit from the Vietnamese government and a certificate of quarantine for export from the Korean government.
MAFRA started asking Vietnam for the import permit of Korean strawberries in 2008. Since then, the ministry has been carrying out constant and various efforts through measures including discussion between the two countries’ phytosanitary quarantine authorities.
The entire quarantine process was concluded as the two nations agreed on the export requirements.
Based on the agreed export requirements, those who would like to export Korean fresh strawberries to Vietnam should:
register export complex, grower and sorting field with the phytosanitary quarantine authority (Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency or QIA) and undergo inspection by the Vietnamese authority during the growing period regarding disease and insect pest, and
have their strawberries proven free from quarantine pests as a result of the final quarantine for export.
Fresh Korean strawberries are currently exported to 20 countries including Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. The quantity of exports is growing *
* (2012) 2,152 tons à (2013) 2,815 tons à (2014) 3,063 tons à (2015) 3,313 tons
Exporting to Vietnam will play a role as a bridge to expand strawberry exports to Southeast Asia, where the bulk of imported strawberries come from the U.S. and Egypt.
Meanwhile, MAFRA started the registration process of export complex, growers for export and sorting field as of January 11thin order to promptly initiate export fresh Korean strawberries, which are in season from the origin of country to Vietnam.
The Quarantine Guideline for Export Korean Fresh Strawberry Fruits (Fragaria ananassa Duchense) (noticed by QIA), which is the final quarantine process in Korea, was established taken effect as of January 19th, 2016.
Along with the policy of export expansion, one of the core tasks of Government 3.0, MAFRA announced that the ministry will actively participate in phytosanitary quarantine negotiations through development of promising export items by countries in order to expand the export of Korean agricultural produce and develop new markets for export.
