Lang Son: Goods cleared at border gates plummeted

	Lang Son: Increasing amount of backlogged goods at border gates
	Lang Son Customs Department: Budget revenue has faced difficulties since beginning of the year
	Lang Son: Promoting customs clearance associated with effective anti-epidemic

Volume of cleared goods within the same day at Coc Nam border gate has sharply declined.

According to Lang Son Customs Department, from February 5 to March 10, total volume of vehicles cleared at the five border gates (Huu Nghi, Chi Ma, Tan Thanh, Coc Nam and Dong Dang International Railway Station) hit 6,747 vehicles transporting export goods and 6,644 transporting import goods.

The volume of agricultural products and fresh fruit exports was nearly 300,000 tonnes. However, the number of vehicles transporting cleared goods was still limited. The number of vehicles transporting goods at the border gate for customs clearance was still large (as of March 10 721 vehicles).

In particular, volume of cassava starch transported at the border gate by enterprises but that had not been cleared, was still large (more than 10,000 tonnes).

Talking to Customs news, Nguyen Huu Vuong, Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department said the volume of goods at border gates imported and exported cross border gates was only a third compared to 2019. Because the Chinese side lacks human resources for loading, unloading and transporting goods, so capacity to release goods is limited.

In addition, due to regulations of border trade, some items have not been cleared. Cassava starch and dried sliced ​​cassava were previously exported via border gates such as Na Hinh and Na Nua. However, due to the epidemic, goods cannot be imported or exported via these border gates.

According to competent forces at border gates, on March 10 and 11, imports and exports at border gates which reopened in Lang Son, sharply declined. Especially, the number of cleared vehicles at Coc Nam Border Gate was 70 containers on March 8, 109 containers on March 9 but only 37 containers.

At Tan Thanh Border Gate, although transactions of foreign trade and border residents have been implemented, clearance capacity is still low. As of March 10, there were nearly 600 vehicles waiting for customs clearance that were mainly agricultural products, fresh fruits such as mangoes, jackfruit, dragon fruits and watermelons, etc.

According to a representative of Tan Thanh Customs Branch, sometimes there were 370 vehicles backlogged at the border gate. Although the Chinese side has implemented customs clearance for border residents and volume of goods has increased, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the number of Chinese workers and loading and unloading capacity is limited. Therefore, goods consumption is still insignificant.

The delay in customs clearance has greatly affected import-export businesses. As well as the impact on quality of goods (for fresh fruits) and time of goods delivery signed in contracts, the cost for parking at the yard has increased. Therefore, the People's Committee of Lang Son province is focusing on solutions to improve goods clearance capacity at border gates. In addition, it has also directed sectors to provide solutions to support import and export businesses in the province.

To remove difficulties for businesses, Lang Son province is working with Chinese agencies to send Vietnamese workers to China to participate in loading and unloading goods. It is also encouraging goods owners to arrange goods convenient for loading and unloading, ensuring safety for prevention of epidemics to facilitate export procedure process, increasing volume of goods cleared at border gates.