Vietnam’s Agricultural Exports Work to Meet Safety Standards Amid Global Competition
Vietnamese agricultural products are expanding their global reach, gaining access to markets in nearly 200 countries and territories. However, meeting the stringent food safety standards set by importing nations remains a significant challenge. To bolster the reputation of its agricultural exports, Vietnam is intensifying efforts to adhere to these standards.
Vietnam’s Agricultural Exports Work to Meet Safety Standards
Inspections and Penalties
In recent years, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), in collaboration with other ministries and local authorities, has been working to standardize production processes and create safe growing areas for export.
They have launched two projects to create safe and high-quality agricultural products:
1. “Ensuring Food Safety, Improving the Quality of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products (2021-2030)”
2. “Piloting the Establishment of Agricultural and Forestry Material Areas Meeting Standards for Domestic Consumption and Export (2022-2025)”
Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director of MARD’s Department of Quality Management, Processing, and Market Development, reported that Vietnam has:
- 2,510 value chains
- Nearly 226,000 hectares of crops certified with Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP)
- Over 16,000 farms and enterprises certified
In aquaculture, nearly 11,000 hectares and 759 farms are certified with VietGAP. Additionally, more than 4,100 farms and livestock households are certified with VietGAHP.
Many farms and livestock households are certified with VietGAHP
Vietnam has made significant strides in food safety, with 99.4% of agricultural, forestry, and fishery production and business establishments meeting safety criteria. However, around 7% of establishments nationwide have yet to commit to ensuring food safety.
“Food safety remains a major concern for the agricultural industry,” Tiep emphasized.
In the first half of 2024, MARD conducted inspections on over 8,700 agricultural inputs and production establishments. As a result, 901 enterprises, or 10.2% of those inspected, received administrative fines totaling VND11.2 billion (US$443,158).
Dealing with Export Problems
Despite these efforts, there are still instances where Vietnamese agricultural products have been warned, returned, or even destroyed and temporarily banned from import due to non-compliance with technical and food safety requirements.
Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Nguyen Dinh Tung, admitted that not following plant quarantine and food safety rules has caused big losses for businesses. “However, the government and industry are working hard to fix these issues and protect the good reputation of Vietnamese agricultural products,” he said.
Vietnamese agricultural products
Local expert Nguyen Dang Nghia stressed the need to address food safety issues to ensure Vietnam is seen as a reliable source of safe and traceable agricultural products.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hoang Trung, said that plant quarantine units at border gates have been told to strengthen the inspection of goods and check information on growing areas and packaging facilities. This has helped find and deal with problem shipments, and the ministry has refused to issue certificates for non-compliant consignments.
Trung urged local authorities to set up systems and regularly check the processing and selection of goods to ensure no harmful organisms are present in approved packaging facilities. He emphasized the importance of effective coordination across the supply chain, from growing areas to export companies, to meet importer requirements and protect the interests of all parties involved.
