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Jun 21, 2016 / 15:52

Hanoi Irradiation Centre to irradiate lychees exported to Australia

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced on June 20 that Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has certified the Hanoi Irradiation Centre to irradiate Vietnamese lychees exported to the market.

The Plant Protection Department under Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development received official recognition from the Australian department on June 20.
 
At the Hanoi Irradiation Centre.
At the Hanoi Irradiation Centre.
The recognition was attributed to the close cooperation between the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department, Australian competent agencies, and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, as well as the active participation of the Hanoi Irradiation Centre and enterprises.
The lychees will go through irradiation treatment in Hanoi instead of being shipped to the south, which helps reduce transport cost and time.
Director of the Hanoi Irradiation Centre Dang Quang Thieu said when fruits grown in the northern region are irradiated in the Hanoi Irradiation Centre, lychee exporters could save some 16 million VND per tonne, as they no longer have to transport them to the south for irradiation.
Irradiation is considered a safe technology that helps to kill all bacteria and microorganisms and keep fruit fresh for longer periods, even up to a few months. Key fruit importers such as Australia, Canada and the United States require fruit to be irradiated before entered the countries.
According to Australian regulations, to enter the country, the Vietnamese fresh lychees must apply cultivation measures to mitigate harmful organisms and ensure quality and safety under the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
Farmers have to record the production process to facilitate the trace of their fruits’ origin.
The fresh lychees must be transported to the registered packaging and labeling facilities for further examination at the Plant Protection Department.
The fruits will be treated at Son Son and An Phu irradiation companies and Hanoi Irradiation Centre. The Vietnamese plant inspection agencies will grant phytosanitary certificates to batches that satisfy the market’s requirements.
Irradiation is considered a safe technology that helps kill all bacteria and microorganisms and keep fruit fresh for longer periods, even up to a few months.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in 2015, Vietnam has exported lychees for the first year to the US and Australia, where require strict quarantine regulations on fruit.