Experts from both home and abroad discussed ways to handle difficultiesand shortcomings in developing the cultivation of clean and safevegetables at a symposium held in Hanoi on March 18.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu emphasised that the existing VietnameseGood Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) model has not yet met theescalating demand for clean and safe food.

She cited the broader application of the farming model as a key solution to the expansion of safe vegetable growing.

Thu mentioned difficulties and inadequacies in managing andbroadening the clean vegetable market due to small-scale cultivation,inconsistent quality, and a loose connection between the model’sparticipants.
Scott Ledger, a GAP expert from Australia, saidconsumers are now demanding safer and higher quality food. Thus, it isvital to farm following the GAP model.

He suggested eachcountry put forth its own GAP standards based on environmentalsanitation, product quality, and benefits to the model’s participants.

Vietnam should learn from Thailand and China’s experience in successfully developing the model, the expert said.

In meeting local consumer and export demand, delegates also proposedmeasures aimed to ensure food safety and hygiene, focusing on planninglarge-scale vegetable cultivation areas in line with VietGAP, ASEAN GAPand GlobalGAP.

Attention will be paid to tightening thecontrol of the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides to ensure foodsafety and prevent environmental pollution.-VNA