Container trucks pass through the Kim Thanh International Road Border Gate No. 2 in Lao Cai Province. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed issuing Covid-19 vaccine passports for drivers transporting farm produce through border gates - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control vaccinate and issue Covid-19 vaccine passports for drivers transporting agricultural products through border gates.

The solution will help facilitate the transport of cargo and the completion of customs procedures and save costs and time for enterprises, the local media reported.

Through surveys at border gate areas and meetings with the governments of Lang Son and Lao Cai provinces, the ministry realized that the pandemic had affected the consumption of agricultural products, especially their export through border gates.

In reality, many northern border provinces have established specialized driver teams to ensure safety while transporting and completing customs procedures for farm produce exports. However, State management agencies and exporting enterprises are finding it hard to manage these teams.

Amid the complicated developments of the pandemic, vaccination is the most optimal solution. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development suggested the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control direct the relevant agencies to work with border localities to provide the vaccines to drivers of the specialized teams and conduct Covid-19 tests on them.

The ministry also proposed the steering committee ask border localities to remove obstacles facing the trade of agricultural products in the Vietnam-China border areas.