Forming value chains to enhance competitiveness for pig farmers

The pig industry plays an important role in the Asia Pacific but like other sectors is facing challenges such as price volatility food safety concerns and recently reported outbreaks of African swine fever
forming value chains to enhance competitiveness for pig farmers

Pigs are raised in a farm in Son Vi commune, Lam Thao district in the northern province of Phu Tho

According to Fred Unger, a scientist from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), pork is an important part of the Vietnamese diet. Additionally, more than 70 percent of meat consumption is supplied by small scale producers.

While Vietnamese consumers have a strong preference for fresh, un-chilled pork sold at traditional markets, increasing concerns over food safety have been expressed by Vietnamese consumers, he said at a regional symposium on research into smallholder pig production, health and pork safety which was held in Hanoi this week.

Research conducted since 2013, including risk profiling and assessment for biological and chemical hazards, a cost of illness study and most recently a food safety performance assessment of a range of current pork value chains in four provinces of northern Vietnam have showed that pork is not safe. Between 44 and 82 percent of pork sampled was contaminated with Salmonella, a group of bacteria that normally inhabit the intestines of animals and human.

Unger said that contamination occurred mainly during the slaughtering and retail process.

Despite effort paid to the production of safe pork, it has not yet reached a significant share of the market in Vietnam. He also pointed out that key constraints to the uptake including high cost of adoption, lack of visible benefits from changing behaviour and low consumer trust.

To overcome these constraints, Unger suggested that focus would be on gradual improvements to the food system in place, rather than introducing a new system and incentive-based interventions.

The fact that Vietnam has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was also a challenge for the animal husbandry industry as the requirements for product quality and traceability are set higher. Thus, farmers needed to join value chains to meet the demand for producing and supplying safe pork for the market, experts said.

Le Thi Thanh Huyen, from the National Institute of Animal Science, said inpidual households faced poor competitiveness in the market and found it difficult to access resources.

Once smallholder alliances form cooperatives or groups of producers, it would be easy for them to solve capital problems, searching for consumer markets as well as building brands for products and traceability.

While indigenous pigs, such as ‘Ban’ pork, are preferred by consumers and able to be sold at a high price, awareness of food safety is considered very poor among ethnic farmers, Huyen said.

A survey conducted in Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province, where ‘Ban’ pig production is promoted by the Government, showed that most thought safe food could be detected by its physical appearance and blamed chemicals in food as the main cause of cancer, she said. All interviewed consumers thought well cooked pork is safe while fewer people had this view among other stakeholders.

Huyen said better communication was needed to improve the awareness of food safety among different stakeholders along the ‘Ban’ pork value chain. It is expected that by improving their practices, farmers’ livelihoods would be enhanced by giving them the opportunity to access potential marketing and branding options.

According to Nguyen Thi Duong Nga from the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, the forming of cooperatives was to serve three purposes – to buy feed in bulk at cheaper prices and quality; collecting pigs to sell to slaughterhouses and big traders; to slaughter pigs and supply supermarkets and institutional buyers.

The challenges in the application of good practices in the animal production value chain include the synchronisation of market infrastructure, processing and retail; price, food safety monitoring, consumer awareness and trust.

To deal with the above-mentioned problems, Nga said, incentives should be offered for value chain upgrades including favourable conditions for good practices and communication to consumers about the product.

According to Dieter Schillinger, ILRI Deputy Director General, factors to develop value chains include health, feed and pig genes.

Good feed could help bring about high quality pork. Given the current climate, some types of pigs could easily adapt to adverse weather.

Regarding health, he said, it was necessary to enhance the veterinary system to better control diseases as well as biosecurity and vaccines to ensure the health of the pig herd.

The establishment of value chains in animal husbandry was the right direction because it would help ensure food safety and traceability for consumers, he said.

Source: VNA

Related News

Reducing logistics costs: A solution for competitiveness and attracting import-export goods

Reducing logistics costs: A solution for competitiveness and attracting import-export goods

VCN - With high costs, a lack of large-scale logistics centers, and fragmented infrastructure, the logistics industry still faces many challenges on its path to becoming a backbone of the economy.
Food enterprises build sustainable value chains

Food enterprises build sustainable value chains

VCN - In order to meet the strict standards of major export markets, many enterprises are aiming to build production chains according to green criteria for sustainable development.
Linkage - the "key" to sustainable development of agricultural value chains

Linkage - the "key" to sustainable development of agricultural value chains

VCN - Promoting sustainable and effective development of agricultural value chains is a core factor in restructuring Vietnam's agricultural sector and the key to optimize the value of Vietnam's agricultural exports.
Mobilizing finance for low-emission rice value chains

Mobilizing finance for low-emission rice value chains

VCN - Capital is still the biggest difficulty for cooperatives and rice production enterprises, especially those participating in the high-quality, low-emission rice project in the Mekong Delta. This requires strong participation from banks, investment funds and international financial institutions.

Latest News

Việt Nam tightens fruit inspections after warning from China

Việt Nam tightens fruit inspections after warning from China

The Plant Protection Department has urged local authorities and relevant agencies to strengthen the inspection and monitoring of durian cultivation areas and export packing facilities following a warning from China.
Brand building key to elevate Vietnamese fruit and vegetable sector: experts

Brand building key to elevate Vietnamese fruit and vegetable sector: experts

Trade promotion, product introduction and brand promotion also need to be innovated to attract customers effectively.
Freight transport via China-Việt Nam cross-border trains posts rapid growth

Freight transport via China-Việt Nam cross-border trains posts rapid growth

The Nanning branch of China Railway Group Limited reported a sharp increase in freight transport on the China-Việt Nam cross-border railway last year, with trains departing from Guangxi carrying a total of 19,670 containers, marking a staggering annual increase of 1,153 per cent.
Vietnamese retail industry expects bright future ahead

Vietnamese retail industry expects bright future ahead

With a young and dynamic population, rising incomes and increasing urbanisation, the sector is emerging as one of the most promising engines for economic expansion in the coming years.

More News

Complying with regulations of each market for smooth fruit and vegetable exports

Complying with regulations of each market for smooth fruit and vegetable exports

VCN - According to Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen (photo), General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), with the development momentum and increasing consumption demand from the Chinese market, the Vietnamese fruit and vegetable industry is setting new records and is expected to reach an export turnover of US $10 billion by 2030. With great potential and advantages in developing agricultural products, Vietnam has been affirming its position as one of the world's leading agricultural exporters.
Fruit and vegetable industry aims for $10 billion in exports by 2030

Fruit and vegetable industry aims for $10 billion in exports by 2030

Based on impressive export results in recent years, Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable industry has set a target of achieving US$10 billion in export value by 2030, according to the Việt Nam Fruit and Vegetables Association.
GDP grows by over 7 per cent, exceeds target for 2024

GDP grows by over 7 per cent, exceeds target for 2024

The growth rate is relatively impressive for the 2011-24 period, only lower than the rates of 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Vietnamese pepper: decline in volume, surge in value

Vietnamese pepper: decline in volume, surge in value

In December 2024, Việt Nam exported 15,265 tonnes of pepper of all types, including 12,771 tonnes of black pepper and 2,494 tonnes of white pepper, generating a total turnover of $100.6 million.
Việt Nam maintains position as RoK’s third largest trading partner

Việt Nam maintains position as RoK’s third largest trading partner

Việt Nam continued solidifying its position as the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s third-largest trading partner in 2024, trailing only China and the US, marking the third consecutive year of the significant trade relationship.
Greater efforts to be made for stronger cooperation with European-American market

Greater efforts to be made for stronger cooperation with European-American market

The European-American Market Department (MoIT) will monitor regional developments and explore opportunities to strengthen Việt Nam’s economic and trade ties.
Leather, footwear industry aims to gain export growth of 10% in 2025

Leather, footwear industry aims to gain export growth of 10% in 2025

The footwear sector will still focus on exporting to available and easy-access markets such as Africa and Asia to increase revenue.
Grasping the green transformation trend - A survival opportunity for Vietnamese Enterprises

Grasping the green transformation trend - A survival opportunity for Vietnamese Enterprises

VCN - Green transformation not only helps enterprises minimize the risk of being eliminated from important export markets, but also creates opportunities to build sustainable brands, enhance product value and reach high-end customer segments globally.
Việt Nam to complete database of five domestic manufacturing industries in 2026

Việt Nam to complete database of five domestic manufacturing industries in 2026

The project to build a comprehensive database of domestic industries aims to enhance the capacity and efficiency of trade remedy investigations. It also serves as a strategic tool to protect domestic production.
Read More

Your care

Latest Most read
Việt Nam tightens fruit inspections after warning from China

Việt Nam tightens fruit inspections after warning from China

The Plant Protection Department has urged local authorities and relevant agencies to strengthen the inspection and monitoring of durian cultivation areas and export packing facilities following a warning from China.
Brand building key to elevate Vietnamese fruit and vegetable sector: experts

Brand building key to elevate Vietnamese fruit and vegetable sector: experts

Trade promotion, product introduction and brand promotion also need to be innovated to attract customers effectively.
Freight transport via China-Việt Nam cross-border trains posts rapid growth

Freight transport via China-Việt Nam cross-border trains posts rapid growth

The Nanning branch of China Railway Group Limited reported a sharp increase in freight transport on the China-Việt Nam cross-border railway last year, with trains departing from Guangxi carrying a total of 19,670 containers, marking a staggering annual increase of 1,153 per cent.
Vietnamese retail industry expects bright future ahead

Vietnamese retail industry expects bright future ahead

With a young and dynamic population, rising incomes and increasing urbanisation, the sector is emerging as one of the most promising engines for economic expansion in the coming years.
Complying with regulations of each market for smooth fruit and vegetable exports

Complying with regulations of each market for smooth fruit and vegetable exports

VCN - According to Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen (photo), General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), with the development momentum and increasing consumption demand from the Chinese market, the Vietnamese fruit and vegetable indu
Mobile Version