Food safety key for Vietnamese firms to succeed in foreign markets
Failing to meet food safety regulations remains the biggest issue that Vietnamese firms must overcome in entering foreign markets, said Rick Gilmore of the Global Food Safety Forum at a workshop on April 26.
A mushroom farm in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – Failing to meetfood safety regulations remains the biggest issue that Vietnamese firms mustovercome in entering foreign markets, said Rick Gilmore, Chairman of the GlobalFood Safety Forum at a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City on April 26.
He noted that currently, few food productsof Vietnam gets food safety certificates, while the abuse of antibiotics andchemicals still remains.
He pointed that in the 2014-2016 period, Vietnam’sshrimp export volume to the US fell 32 percent with over 1,000 batches refuseddue to food safety barriers. Vietnam’s catfish also faced the same problem, hesaid.
From September this year, the US will startapplying an inspection programme on catfish. Accordingly, catfish imported to thecountry will be re-tested every three months, said Gilmore.
He recommended that Vietnamese firms shouldtake food safety as a serious matter, thus ensuring the observation of allrelevant regulations during the farming process.
He suggested the businesses to enhanceadded value for their products, such as organic and environmental friendlyfactors while entering choosy markets such as the US and EU.
Meanwhile, Vu Kim Hanh, President of theQuality Vietnamese Products Business Association, highlighted efforts of somepioneering enterprises in applying international standards in producing safeand organic agricultural products in Vietnam, such as VinEco and Vinamit.
This is a good signal in the process ofbuilding Vietnamese agricultural products’ trademarks at global scale, sheheld.
The workshop, themed “Global food safetytrends: Solutions to boost export for Vietnamese firms,” was organised by theBusiness Studies and Assistance Centre.-VNA
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A mushroom farm in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum (Photo: VNA) 
