VietNamNet Bridge - Removing the quarantine regulation will help simplify administrative procedures for enterprises, but will pave the way for unsafe food to flood the Vietnamese market, some experts say.

Vietnam needs to tighten the control over animal meat imports

The Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), EuroCham and the Vietnam Dairy Producers’ Association have proposed excluding processed meat, egg and dairy products from the list of import/export items subject to compulsory quarantine.

They said this would boost trade as the complicated procedures and burden on enterprises would be eased and more imports would arrive in Vietnam. 

In addition, state management agencies and Vietnamese enterprises will save money and time on each consignment of imports, they said.

While the proposal has been lauded by importers, it faces strong opposition from domestic livestock enterprises and veterinary experts.

Japan and South Korea, for example, recently discovered African pork cholera virus in processed meat products at some border gates. Other countries have also recognized dangerous disease outbreaks caused during the transportation, circulation and consumption of processed animal products.

The removal of the quarantine policy will be contrary to Vietnam’s Veterinary Law and OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) regulations. Other countries continue the strict quarantine of processed meat, egg, dairy and honey bee products from Vietnam.

Vietnamese enterprises must satisfy many requirements on food hygiene to be able to export chicken to Japan. Chicken products from Vietnam are tested at the border gates before getting customs clearance even though the products have been examined thoroughly in Vietnam.

Vietnamese enterprises must satisfy many requirements on food hygiene to be able to export chicken to Japan. Chicken products from Vietnam are tested at the border gates before getting customs clearance even though the products have been examined thoroughly in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Vietnam had to spend seven years to satisfy requirements to export bee honey. While other countries have set more and more barriers to control imports, it would be unreasonable for Vietnam to remove its barriers.

Gabor Fluit, Asia General Director of De Heus from the Netherlands, agrees that Vietnam should not remove the regulation on quarantining processed food from land animals, because risks need to be controlled.

He said that problems may occur even in countries with the most developed livestock industries in the world.

An expert said it is necessary to change procedures to help shorten the inspection process, not to remove the quarantine.

“The products from prestigious sources with stable supply can be examined at random, while products from risky areas must be examined regularly,” he said.

Consumers have also voiced their concern about the lack of safety of food imports, if the quarantine will no longer be applied.

“State agencies must understand that their decisions affect people’s health and lives,” Nguyen Ngoc Tho, an office worker, wrote on a forum for young parents.

Dau Ngoc Hao, chair of the Vietnam Veterinary Association, said that the quarantine removal would do more harm than good to Vietnam.