Routine pre-inspections abolished to speed up production unit code issuance

The waiting time to obtain production unit codes and packing facility codes has become a major concern for local authorities, particularly when agricultural products are ready for harvest. As export markets impose increasingly stringent traceability requirements, delays in administrative procedures not only raise costs for businesses but also cause exporters to miss critical market windows.

At a conference held on July 13, the MAE presented a draft Government Resolution to simplify administrative procedures for issuing production unit and packing facility codes. The proposed framework shifts the focus toward data-driven management, self-declaration by organizations and individuals, and post-certification oversight.

The draft resolution is intended as an interim measure to address bottlenecks arising from Decree No. 38/2026/ND-CP while a comprehensive revision of the decree is being prepared under an expedited legislative process.

From "apply-inspect-approve" to data-driven management and post-certification oversight

Addressing nearly 300 local government offices connected via videoconference, Huynh Tan Dat, Director General of the Plant Production and Protection Department, presented two options outlined in the draft resolution. Both proposals share a common principle: replacing the current pre-certification approach, in which obtaining a production unit code requires extensive documentation and multiple rounds of verification before approval, with a simplified administrative process complemented by stronger post-certification oversight.

Under the proposed framework, applications for production unit codes and packing facility codes would be streamlined to a single standardized application form. Farmers, cooperatives, and businesses would submit their applications online through the National Public Service Portal. Within a maximum of three working days after receiving a complete and valid application, the agency designated by the provincial People's Committee must either issue the code or provide a written explanation if the application is rejected.

Where the application involves only a change in the legal representative, administrative boundaries, or the addition of an export market, the processing time would be reduced to two working days. Compared with the current procedure, the proposed changes would not only shorten approval times but also significantly reduce compliance costs for farmers and businesses. The draft also makes clear that it introduces no new administrative procedures while ensuring transparency, openness, and practicality.

However, simplifying procedures does not mean relaxing regulatory oversight. The new framework is built on digital data management. All information related to production unit codes and packing facility codes will be centrally managed through the MAE's digital management system and made publicly accessible via the Ministry's online information portal. The system will also be integrated with Viet Nam's agricultural product traceability database and other relevant government databases in accordance with applicable regulations.

Instead of relying primarily on inspections before issuing a code, regulatory authorities will be able to monitor the operational status of production units and packing facilities and access all relevant information through a unified digital platform.

The draft also retains existing requirements for production units supplying export markets. In addition to complying with Vietnamese regulations, both production units and packing facilities must meet the import requirements of each destination market. When registering products for export, organizations and individuals must notify the competent authority in writing of the intended export market, enabling technical authorities to conduct post-certification inspections to verify compliance with the importing country's technical requirements. This review process must be completed within 10 working days.

Faster approval without lowering export standards

Before finalizing the proposal to be submitted to the Government, the MAE considered two different approaches to issuing production unit codes. The key difference between them lies in whether the code should be linked to the national land identification system from the outset.

Under the first option, production unit codes would be issued based on the location of individual land parcels and linked to their official land identification numbers. Farmers whose land information is already available in the national land database could use that data directly. Those whose land records have not yet been digitized would first need verification and data supplementation by their commune-level People's Committee before proceeding with the application.

At the conference, representatives from the Departments of Agriculture and Environment in provinces such as Lam Dong, Gia Lai, and Son La argued that this option would be difficult to implement immediately. Nearly 30 million land parcels nationwide, most of them agricultural land, have yet to be standardized in the national land database. Requiring completion of the database, expected by October 2026, before issuing production unit codes could significantly delay application processing, contrary to the Government's objective of facilitating agricultural production and exports. The issue is particularly pressing with the Central Highlands' durian harvest expected to begin within the next one to two months.

For this reason, most local authorities supported the second option. Under this approach, production unit codes would continue to be issued based on the location of the land parcel, but without the immediate requirement to link them to a national land identification number. Applications would instead rely on information declared by farmers, businesses, or cooperatives. However, production units seeking to export their products would still be subject to pre-certification inspections to verify compliance with the destination market's technical requirements.

In the longer term, local authorities recommended that production unit codes should eventually be issued based on the national land identification database to ensure consistency and interoperability of government data. Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep agreed and instructed the drafting committee to finalize the resolution for submission to the Government by July 15.

"If a land parcel has not yet been included in the national land database, the commune-level People's Committee should verify its location and area as the basis for issuing a production unit code. This does not create an additional administrative procedure. Rather, it ensures that every production unit code is tied to a clearly identified production site, reducing the risk of inaccurate information and improving traceability in the future," he said.

Emphasizing that reforming the production unit code issuance mechanism is intended not only to facilitate exports but also to strengthen production management, product traceability, and food safety for both domestic and international markets, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep instructed the drafting committee to make the post-certification inspection framework more specific. He said the regulations should clearly define standardized forms, inspection records, and inspection procedures to enable consistent implementation by local authorities.

One issue he highlighted was the proposed 10-working-day processing period for export registration. According to the Deputy Minister, this timeframe is not intended to delay administrative procedures but to allow technical authorities sufficient time to verify compliance with the requirements of each destination market. If even a single production unit that fails to meet the required standards is approved for export and its shipment is subsequently rejected by the importing country, the consequences would extend beyond the individual business or locality, potentially damaging the reputation of Vietnamese agricultural products as a whole.

Beyond issuing production unit codes, the Ministry urged local governments to seize this opportunity to develop comprehensive production unit code databases within their jurisdictions. The Deputy Minister suggested launching a nationwide campaign similar to the previous land database initiative to complete the data within a short timeframe, thereby establishing a solid foundation for long-term management. At the same time, he called for stronger production linkages and the development of cooperatives, producer groups, and large-scale production zones.

For exports to China, the Plant Production and Protection Department currently compiles and submits a list of newly registered production unit codes to the Chinese authorities once every three months. Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep described this interval as "too long for the realities of agricultural production."

The Ministry therefore pledged to negotiate with its Chinese counterpart to revise the information exchange mechanism, with the aim of moving toward a regulatory framework based on product traceability rather than the current approval process, which is often lengthy and time-consuming.