HCMC – China has improved its inspection into cultivation processes and production sites in Vietnam to ensure the safety of farm produce imported from Vietnam, according to Le Thanh Hoa, director of the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point.
Addressing a recent forum on adapting to China’s new farm and food import regulations, Hoa said China conducts food safety inspections at Vietnamese enterprises three times a week.
Stating that many Vietnamese enterprises are struggling with China’s new farm and food import regulations, he suggested that Vietnamese enterprises carefully study China’s Order No. 249. Besides, Vietnamese enterprises are still responsible for food safety even when their products are exported to China.
Nguyen Lan Huong, chairwoman of Hoa Viet International Agriculture Joint Stock Company, said food safety inspections are one of China’s new measures to tighten control over the quality of Vietnamese farm exports to China.
According to China’s new food safety regulations, farm produce processing facilities must not raise dogs. “However, most Vietnamese production plants have dogs for protection,” Huong said.
She proposed that government agencies establish centers and teams to instruct enterprises and cooperatives on meeting China’s farm and food import regulations.
Ngo Tuong Vy, deputy general director of Chanh Thu Company, suggested the competent agencies and provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development work with the enterprises to help them meet the new requirements of Chinese partners.
Vo Quan Huy, director of An Huy Company Limited, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should set up a specialized center to provide information about Vietnam’s major markets to assist producers and exporters.
According to Huy, food safety and hygiene related to the processing and packaging, transport and storage of farm produce are issues that Vietnamese enterprises must pay attention to.
China is Vietnam’s second largest importer of agricultural, forestry and fishery products after the United States.
China imported US$7.5 billion worth of agricultural, forestry and fishery products from Vietnam from January to October 2021, accounting for 19.3% of Vietnam’s total agricultural exports.
