EU regulations stall pepper exports

July 18, 2025 | 17:29

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Vietnam’s pepper industry is experiencing a significant disruption in exports to the EU, following regulatory changes in food safety certification that have left nearly 250 tonnes of goods stuck at port since July 1.

On July 17, the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA) submitted an official petition to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE) over the slow issuance of food safety certificates for plant-based exports, especially spices, under Circular No.12/2025/TT-BNNMT.

Since July 1, certification responsibility has shifted to provincial-level authorities. However, the new rules fail to fully inherit the procedures outlined in Circular No.44/2018, creating confusion and delays in certificate processing.

"Spice exporters are facing serious obstacles in securing certifications required by key markets, particularly the EU," the VPSA noted in a formal request. "The bottleneck has stalled exports, disrupted supply chains, and eroded trust with international partners."

The association called on the MoAE to urgently resolve administrative bottlenecks, revise the circular to align with international requirements, and implement immediate training for local authorities and exporters to streamline procedures.

In the short term, VPSA estimates that nearly 250 tonnes of pepper are being held back due to certification delays, threatening existing contracts and adding storage and logistics costs.

This issue mirrors similar challenges faced by fruit and vegetable exporters earlier this month, who were unable to ship goods like dragon fruit, chilli, and okra to Europe for the same reason.

According to the MoAE, Vietnam exported around 25,000 tonnes of pepper in June, valued at $169.2 million. In the first half of the year, total exports reached nearly 125,000 tonnes, worth $859.6 million, down 12.4 per cent in volume but up 35.7 per cent in value on-year.