Quarantine regulations on imported flower seeds

Question: A student from the Viet Nam Academy of Agricultural Sciences bought online flower seeds from other countries. In spite of attached invoices, the imported flower seeds need to go through quarantine and customs procedures. Foreign providers are not allowed to send the commodity directly to Viet Nam. Instead, they have to send through entrepôt, thus prices could go up sharply.

The student also proposed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Area add new types of flower seeds to the list of object subject to plant quarantine before being imported to Viet Nam.

Answer: According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), seed materials like root and flower seeds which are at high risk of carrying risk creatures not yet exist or distribute in narrowed areas in Viet Nam must be put under strict control.

Under the MARD’s Decree 30/2014/TT-BNNTTNT, dated September 4, 2014, flower seeds are subject to undergo quarantine and risk analysis before being imported into Viet Nam. The necessary regulation aims to protect domestic agricultural production.

The MARD also reported that plant quarantine regulations had been streamlined with a view to facilitating organizations and individuals which have demands for quarantine.

The quarantine work takes less than four working hours (if batch of goods is imported through road or by air) and ten working days (for sea transportation).

For further information, please visit  http://www.ppd.gov.vn/.