Authorities in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong have decided to completely ban non-local agricultural products from sale at the top green produce wholesale market in its capital of Da Lat.

The move came after several high-profile cases in which non-local products, especially those imported from China, were found having their origin ‘washed’ at the Da Lat Agricultural Produce Market before being distributed to other localities across Vietnam as Da Lat delicacies.

Under the new regulation taking effect on September 15, only agricultural products produced locally and registered with the Da Lat trademark will be allowed for trade at the famous wholesale market, while imported produce or those grown elsewhere will be prohibited from entering the venue.

The ban is meant to protect the brand and reputation of agricultural products in Da Lat, known as the country’s green hub, as well as to ensure the rights and interests of consumers.

The Da Lat Agricultural Produce Market, some ten kilometers east of the touristy city’s downtown area, functions as a local agro-business market, where vendors must commit to trade only produce of Da Lat origin, according to Da Lat's deputy chairman Nguyen Van Son.

But for many years, local traders have employed a tactic to fool customers into believing the non-local farm produce they buy is from Da Lat.

The dishonest traders would source a large number of green products to the market before using some kinds of machines to wash and soak them in the red basaltic soil typical of the Central Highlands region.

Customers tend to believe that potatoes and other produce covered in red dirt are really Da Lat-grown, thus falling into the trap of the fraudulent sellers.

People are seen turning Chinese potatoes into Da Lat-grown ones using red dirt. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The Da Lat market watchdog discovered more than 270 metric tons of Chinese potatoes turned into Da Lat ones with this trick at seven booths at the wholesale market on Saturday.

The inspection team immediately requested that all of the potatoes be removed from the market. The Chinese produce would have been distributed to other localities in Vietnam as ‘Da Lat potatoes’ had they not been detected by authorities.

Following Saturday’s raid, local traders said they would comply with the ban on the sale of non-local produce at the market.

As the traders have in fact stockpiled a large volume of Chinese potatoes, waiting to be transformed into the Da Lat produce, they also called on authorities to give them some time to clear the stock.

“It takes time and money, in terms of shipping costs and warehouse rent, for us to move such a huge number of potatoes out of the market,” one of the traders said.

But the request was turned down by the Da Lat administration, as the traders had been informed of the effective date of the ban beforehand, so they only had themselves to blame for the inconvenience.

Traders should obey the request otherwise authorities will enact a coercive measure to transfer all of their Chinese potatoes out of the market, according to the city’s administration.

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