VietNamNet Bridge – The highest fine for food safety and hygiene violations will be increased threefold, according to a new decree issued by the Government.

According to the decree, the highest fine will be VND100 million (US$4,700) instead of VND30 million ($1,400) as regulated in Decree 45 issued in 2005.

Depending on the level of breaches, violators can have their food safety and hygiene certifications withdrawn and processing equipment confiscated.

The decree also regulates that people using meat or meat products which are not quarantined to make other products will be fined VND3-5 million ($140-240).

People using unsafe materials or materials with unclear origins to process food will be fined VND10-15 million ($470-710).

The fine of VND20-40 million ($950-1,900) will be imposed on people using poisonous additives to process food.

A higher fine of VND30-50 million ($1,400-2,380), will be imposed on people using banned materials. They can also have their food safety and hygiene certificates withdrawn if they repeat their violation.

According to uncompleted statistics of the Viet Nam Food Administration, nearly 80,000 food enterprises across the country, making up nearly 30 per cent of the total, were discovered to have violated food safety and hygiene regulations this year.

However, Tran Thu Cuc, owner of the Thu Cuc Food Processing Enterprise in Ha Noi's Hoang Mai District, said imposing the fine of VND100 million (US$4,700) for all people was not reasonable.

"It's a small money for a big enterprise but a huge amount of money for small ones," she said.

There should be different fine levels for different producer sizes, said Cuc.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Minh Hai, owner of the Minh Hai Food Processing Company in Dong Anh District, said high fines were a good measure to bring substandard food processing enterprises into line.

Some enterprises sold unsafe and unhygienic food which affected the reputations of other companies, Hai said.
The decree will be put into effect on December 25.

VietNamNet/VNS