VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam is expected to export its first consignments of chicken to demanding markets such as the EU and Japan in 2017, the year of the Rooster.

Hoang Thanh Van, director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MARD) Animal Husbandry Department, said MARD plans to boost trade promotion to export chicken.

In 2016, Dong Nai provincial authorities sent a delegation of businessmen to Hanoi to work with MARD and agencies on the plan to export chicken to Japan. 

If implemented, this will be the first time Vietnam has exported chicken products through official channels to choosy markets.

Some enterprises in Dong Nai are following necessary procedures to export chicken to the countries. After negotiations, if Japan agrees to accept Vietnam’s exports, it will take next steps to examine farming conditions in Vietnam and ensure the fulfillment of the two parties’ commitments.

The Binh Phuoc provincial authorities have also been organizing trade promotion activities in an effort to export chicken, targeting the Japanese, the EU and some Asian markets. 

As the activities are being carried out promptly, Vietnam may see the first consignments of chicken exports in 2017.

Exporting Vietnam chicken was also the goal set by MARD in Decision No 4377 released recently.

Under the decision, the chicken exports would be in two stages. The first stage, from 2016 to 2018, Vietnam would strive to export processed chicken to Japan. The products of at least one Vietnamese enterprise will be shipped to the market in 2017.

In the second stage, which begins after 2018, Vietnam will export processed meat of some enterprises to other potential markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and South Korea.

In the immediate time, if approved by the government, the Department of Animal Health and foreign investors, Vietnam will export the first consignment of processed chicken to Japan. Koyu & Unitek Ltd will be the first company to join the project, while it is completing the building of a processing factory that meets the standards set by the country.

According to MARD, Vietnam’s livestock and poultry processing industry can produce 500,000-700,000 tons of meat and 8 billion eggs. Despite the high production capacity, only Vietnam’s salted eggs are exported to Hong Kong and Singapore, while the other products are consumed in the domestic market only.

Van, talking to the local press, was optimistic about the possibility of exporting livestock products and animal feed.

Vietnam is a big animal feed importer, but it exported 500,000 tons of animal feed in 2016. As for pork, 2016 witnessed a sharp increase of 40 percent in suckling pigs  compared to 2015 to 100,000 tons.

Nong Nghiep