For a long time, fertilizers have been strictly regulated in Vietnam, involving complex procedures for production, import, testing, and quality declaration. This reform aims to implement the government's policy guidance of simplifying business investment conditions and administrative procedures. The Plant Protection Department (PPD) of Vietnam pointed out that the regulatory philosophy is transitioning from "commodity-based management" to "risk-based management." The core objective is not to lower product quality requirements, but to reduce paperwork reviews and progressively transition to a data-driven regulatory model, thereby lowering compliance costs for enterprises and shortening time-to-market.
Key Updates of the Resolution
According to the latest resolution and relevant notifications, the simplification of fertilizer regulations mainly includes the following core points:
Abolition of Import Quality Pre-Inspection: The national quality inspection procedure for imported fertilizers at the port of entry is officially repealed.
Introduction of Conformity Self-Assessment: For fertilizer products classified as medium-risk, enterprises can conduct self-assessments of conformity based on testing results from accredited laboratories and submit electronic declarations of conformity (e-DoC).
Relaxation of Business and Circulation Requirements: The fertilizer business conditions stipulated in Article 42 of the Law on Crop Production will no longer apply. Concurrently, the validity period of the Decision on Recognition of Fertilizer for Circulation in Vietnam is significantly extended from 5 years to 10 years, with renewals allowed. Existing decisions that remain valid before July 1 will automatically receive an additional 5-year extension upon expiration.
What This Means for Fertilizer Importers
This reform is expected to significantly improve the customs clearance efficiency of imported fertilizers. According to data provided by industry representatives, Vietnam's import volume of NPK fertilizers alone exceeded 800,000 tons in 2025, involving numerous market participants.
However, the industry has also raised concerns regarding market fairness. Since domestic manufacturing plants are still required to conduct sampling, testing, and sample retention for every batch before they leave the factory (ex-factory), exempting imported products from quality inspection at the port of entry may trigger debates regarding regulatory consistency between domestic and imported products.
The Vietnam Fertilizer Association (VFA) emphasized that the abolition of administrative procedures does not equate to lowering technical barriers, and National Technical Regulations (QCVN) remain the foundation of quality management. In the future, the effectiveness of regulation will no longer depend on the quantity of pre-market approvals, but rather on market surveillance, enforcement against non-compliance, and traceability capabilities.
July 1, 2026, marks a pivotal moment in the restructuring of Vietnam's fertilizer regulatory system. Although the pre-inspection procedure for imported fertilizers has been abolished, Vietnamese authorities are stepping up efforts to establish a fertilizer coding system, a national database, and post-market inspection tools. This indicates that future compliance challenges will be concentrated in the continuous monitoring phase after products enter the market. Relevant agrochemical enterprises should discard the misconception of "regulatory relaxation" and proactively establish full-chain product traceability systems to adapt to the compliance requirements of this new phase in agricultural development.
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