Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Luong Le Phuong said some firms, who care only about winning orders and not quality, ship products containing banned residues, reports ThahnienNews.
His ministry would issue export licenses only to firms that meet the safety and quality standards set by Vietnam and importing countries, he said.
“The practice hopes to eliminate risks on the country’s seafood shipments as was the case recently,” he told Thanh Nien Daily on the sidelines of a meeting between exporters and processors and a national seafood management board set up by the government last month.
Recently, Egyptian and Russian authorities refused to allow import of Vietnamese pangasius, alleging the products contained banned residues.
But they later relented and allowed imports from Vietnam after the ministry furnished evidence proving their safety.
Vietnam’s seafood exports were worth US$580 million, an 8 per cent decrease, in the first quarter, with pangasius shipments decreasing by 5 per cent to $208 million.
Exports to the European market, which accounted for 26 per cent of total exports, fell by 15 per cent and to Japan, the second largest export market, by 8 percent.
Vietnam Demand Quality and Safety in Fish
VIET NAM - Authorities will inspect seafood trading firms to ensure they do not export products contaminated with banned antibiotics or dump them, hurting the entire industry, a top official said Friday.
