Toan Phat becomes Vietnam's first Aphis

The plant will provide much needed extra capacity as exports to this market continue to grow

The US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (Aphis) has officially approved a new Vietnamese irradiation facility equipped with both gamma and X-ray irradiation technologies, used for the quarantine processing of fresh fruit exported to the US.

As reported by Dân Việt, Toan Phat Company, which operates the plant, was previously authorised by Aphis to use gamma irradiation technology (utilising a cobalt-60 source). It now becomes the first company in Vietnam to have Aphis authorisation for both irradiation technologies for the quarantine treatment of fresh fruit exported to the US.

Vietnam’s Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection requested that Toan Phat Company cooperate closely with plant quarantine officials from Aphis to ensure that fruit bound for the US market has been treated in accordance with the plan signed between Aphis and the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection.

Fruits and vegetables constitute the fastest-growing product group in Vietnam’s agricultural sector.

The simultaneous use of two irradiation technologies (X-ray and gamma radiation) has effectively doubled the plant’s processing capacity. It also enhances operational flexibility, particularly during peak harvest seasons. In 2025 alone, Toan Phat Company processed over 5,600 tonnes of fresh fruit for export to the US using gamma radiation technology. Currently, for fresh fruits such as pomelo, mango, dragon fruit, longan, lychee, rambutan, and star apple, irradiation is a mandatory quarantine step prior to export to the US.

However, due to their seasonality, fruit production tends to be concentrated within short periods, creating pressure on irradiation treatment facilities and creating longer wait times, higher cold storage costs, and the risk of delivery delays.

According to data from the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable export volume in 2025 will exceed US$8.5bn – the highest figure ever recorded. Exports to the US are projected to reach approximately US$547mn, representing an increase of over 50 per cent on the previous year.