08 labs include 6 Agricuture-Forestry-Fishery Quality Centers in regions 1-6 located in Hai Phong, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, Ca Mau, Can Tho, and 02 independent labs which are Intertek (Can Tho) and SGS Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City).
Korea only approves chili test results from 08 Vietnamese labs.
On March 22, the Plant Protection Department sent Letter No. 743 to the provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Departments of Plant Quarantine, and chili exporters. The Letter mentions that:
According to the Official Letter No. KEV-23-266 of the Korean Embassy to the Department of Plant Protection, the Ministry of Pharmaceutical and Food Safety of Korea requires individuals and Vietnamese chili exporters to provide the test results of pesticide residues.
By the end of Feb 2023, the Ministry of Pharmaceutical and Food Safety of Korea approved 08 labs including 06 Quality Centers of Agriculture-Forestry-Fishery in regions 1-6 located in Hai Phong, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, Ca Mau, Can Tho, and 02 independent labs which are Intertek (Can Tho) and SGS Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City.
To export chili to Korea, test results by these 08 labs are required to attach to the export shipment. The temporary application period for the above inspection requirements is 01 year, starting from March 31, 2023 to the end of March 30, 2024.
According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, in the first 02 months of 2023, Vietnam’s export turnover to Korea reached 3.79 billion USD. This result was up 2.1% over the same period last year and accounted for 7.6% of the country’s export turnover. Korea is currently the third-largest export market of Vietnam.
Korea is also the only major market with positive growth turnover, while exports to some other markets such as Japan, the EU, the US, and China have all declined. In 2022, Vietnam exported about 4,900 tons of chili, with a turnover of 11.9 million USD./.