Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong newspaper chaired the conference - Photo: C. TUE
At the Sustainable Development Conference for the Durian Industry organized by Tien Phong Newspaper on June 10, many delegates raised questions related to the cause of durian contamination with cadmium, suspected to be due to Korean DAP fertilizer, and requested the announcement of the test results.
Two reasons why durian is contaminated with cadmium
Regarding the cause of durian being contaminated with cadmium, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu - Deputy Director of the Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection ( Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ) - said that as soon as he received the notice of durian violating cadmium residue from the General Department of Customs of China at the end of March 2024, the department proactively conducted a large-scale investigation in high-risk areas.
The results showed that the cause of cadmium accumulation in soil in high-risk areas was due to long-term cultivation and lack of rest in the gardens.
Second, the indirect cause is that fertilizer use in some areas is much higher than recommended, especially during the off-season.
Notably, at the workshop, Mr. Vu Duy Hai - General Director of Vinacam Group - shed tears when sharing the reason for writing letters twice to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Ministry of Industry and Trade warning about the situation of imported fertilizers to Vietnam suspected of exceeding cadmium residue from 2023, and most recently petitioned the Prime Minister with the desire to clarify this reflection.
According to Mr. Hai, this year the durian industry expects to bring in 3.7 billion USD, but this goal is facing a big challenge as durian is being returned due to cadmium and O-yellow residue exceeding the permitted threshold.
Mr. Hai believes that this is not necessarily the fault of the growers, when a manager said that farmers used fertilizers and pesticides incorrectly, even fertilizing 10 times more than recommended, but must frankly acknowledge the fault of managers in the field of fertilizers and crops. Especially in handling information SPS warned of cadmium exceeding the threshold in chili, mangosteen, rambutan, durian 3 years ago and in DAP fertilizer that Vinacam warned about since 2023...
"Until now, we do not understand why, immediately after receiving the information, the Plant Protection Department sent a team of officials to inspect but did not announce the results. If the sample meets the requirements, it should be announced so that public opinion is not confused, but if it does not meet the requirements, it must be handled according to the provisions of the law," said Mr. Hai.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection - Photo: C.TUỆ
The amount of imported and used Korean DAP fertilizer accounts for only 4%.
Responding to a question about the proposal to announce the results of DAP fertilizer testing, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu admitted that the department had shortcomings in responding to the recommendations late.
"We have sent a document inviting Mr. Hai to come to the department to work, based on the data that the unit has to answer more accurately. We apologize for not being able to answer Mr. Hai's question at today's conference," Mr. Hieu said.
Speaking further about the suspicion that DAP fertilizer is related to durian contamination with cadmium, Mr. Hieu said that blaming the use of DAP fertilizer entirely is not accurate because people in the South use a lot of DAP fertilizer, use it in many different seasons and on many types of crops. Therefore, to conclude that DAP fertilizer is the main cause, there is not a close connection.
"We know that in the Mekong Delta region, there are flooded areas, then the water is drained, so there is a change in the pH concentration in the soil, especially when flooded, the pH is higher, if it is the off-season, the risk of cadmium contamination is higher," Mr. Hieu shared.
Mr. Hieu also said that in terms of import and usage, Korean DAP only accounts for 4% of the total DAP used in Vietnam.
One issue Mr. Hieu also noted is the encouragement of using too much organic fertilizer.
"In a large-scale investigation of hundreds of fertilizer samples tested in the Western region, we were quite surprised to find that organic fertilizers had higher cadmium levels than inorganic fertilizers.
We have to consider whether we should use too much organic fertilizer or make adjustments," said Mr. Hieu.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/duoc-de-nghi-cong-bo-ket-qua-kiem-tra-phan-dap-han-quoc-cuc-trong-trot-va-bao-ve-thuc-vat-noi-gi-20250610170006053.htm
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