Vietnamese agricultural products: Risk of tightening control in the EU market and solutions to upgrade The fact that five Vietnamese agricultural products were placed under export control by the EU is a wake-up call for the country's agricultural industry. Improving quality and ensuring food safety is an urgent requirement to maintain this important export market. Risk of tightening control from the EU According to information from the Vietnam SPS Office, 5 Vietnamese agricultural and food products including chili, instant noodles, durian, okra and dragon fruit have been placed under control by the EU when exported. This is the first time Vietnamese durian is on this list with a monitoring frequency of 10% because previously 3 shipments were warned of pesticide residue. The EU is the third largest export market of Vietnam's agricultural products industry with a turnover of about 5.5 billion USD/year, accounting for 15% of total export value. Tightening controls from the EU may cause certain difficulties for export businesses, affecting export turnover and the reputation of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market. The main reason leading to the EU tightening control of Vietnamese agricultural products is due to food safety issues. According to Mr. Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office, improper use of pesticides and non-compliance with quarantine periods are the main reasons why many shipments of Vietnamese agricultural products are warned. . What is the solution to the safety problem? To solve the problem of safety and improve the quality of agricultural products, it is necessary to synchronously implement the following solutions: 1. Raise awareness of farmers: Strengthen training and raise farmers' awareness of using pesticides safely and properly, adhering to the "4 rights" principle. Provide complete information about the list of pesticides allowed to be used for each type of crop, and instructions for safe and effective use. 2. Strengthen quality control from production to export: Apply safe production processes, traceability, VietGAP, GlobalGAP. Strengthen inspection and supervision of product quality at the stages of production, harvesting, preservation, processing and export. Strictly handle cases of violation of food safety regulations. 3. Support businesses to improve competitiveness: Support businesses in accessing international standards, building brands and promoting products. Strengthen human resource training for the agricultural sector, especially in the fields of quality control and food safety. 4. Strengthen international cooperation: Strengthen cooperation with countries in the region and around the world to share experiences and information on food safety. Participate in international forums on food safety to update the latest regulations and standards. Improving quality and ensuring food safety is an urgent requirement to maintain important export markets like the EU. Synchronous implementation of the above solutions will help Vietnam's agricultural sector improve its competitiveness, meet the increasing demands of the international market and affirm the position of Vietnamese agricultural products on the trade map. Global.