According to the MoIT’s Department of Foreign Market Development, immediately after receiving urgent appeals from the Vietnam Tea Association and exporting enterprises, the MoIT instructed relevant units to coordinate closely with the Vietnam Trade Office in Pakistan to assess the situation, clarify the causes and propose solutions.

Reports from the Vietnam Trade Office and the Vietnamese Embassy in Pakistan indicate that the main cause of the congestion is the disruption of overland transport between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following the introduction of new transit control measures by Pakistan. Most Vietnamese tea shipments were contracted for export to Afghanistan via transshipment through Karachi, making them directly affected by the disruption.

Notably, the congestion at Karachi Port is not limited to Vietnamese goods but constitutes a force majeure situation of a large scale, severely affecting Pakistan’s own import, export and transit activities. According to Pakistani authorities, around 11,000 containers in transit to Afghanistan, along with 25,000 import containers and 15,000 export containers, are currently stuck at the port. The situation has been exacerbated by a temporary suspension of operations by Pakistani transport associations protesting new penalty policies on vehicles and drivers, leading to serious domestic supply chain disruptions.

Prolonged congestion has imposed heavy costs on Vietnamese tea exporters due to container detention and storage fees, raising risks of quality deterioration, cash-flow pressures, bank debt servicing difficulties and negative impacts on tea farmers’ livelihoods.

To protect the legitimate interests of Vietnamese enterprises, the MoIT has directed the Vietnam Trade Office in Pakistan to maintain continuous engagement with Pakistani authorities, including port operators, customs agencies and relevant stakeholders, and to request special facilitation measures for Vietnamese tea shipments.

At the same time, the MoIT has coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy in Pakistan to send official diplomatic notes urging Pakistani authorities to adopt flexible and supportive solutions, in line with the spirit of bilateral friendship and economic–trade cooperation.

The Embassy has directly worked with Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, requesting special consideration for Vietnamese goods and avoidance of rigid application of transit suspension measures.

The Vietnam side proposed that Pakistan allow the delayed tea containers to continue transit to Afghanistan once security and transport conditions permit, and if transit is not feasible, re-export to third markets is considered. As a last resort, the goods would be re-shipped to Vietnam to minimise losses.

The MoIT said it would continue to closely monitor developments, maintain regular working-level contacts with Pakistani counterparts, and direct the Vietnam Trade Office to provide daily updates and propose the most feasible solutions to safeguard Vietnamese businesses.

The MoIT also urged Vietnamese tea exporters to closely coordinate with the Vietnam Tea Association and the Vietnam Trade Office in Pakistan and provide complete documentation related to the shipments. Businesses are encouraged to strengthen market risk assessments, diversify transport routes and delivery terms, and reduce reliance on high-risk transshipment corridors in the future.

The MoIT reaffirmed that supporting the resolution of export bottlenecks, particularly for key agricultural products such as tea, remains a top priority, and it pledged continued proactive and determined efforts to minimise losses for enterprises and farmers.

Thai Nguyen tea testival honours Vietnamese tea culture

VOV.VN - A tea festival co-hosted by northern Thai Nguyen province and the UNESCO Office in Vietnam opened on December 19, highlighting the cultural, economic and social values of Vietnamese tea while promoting tourism and international trade cooperation.