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Vietnamese seafood export turnover has grown rapidly with an average increase of nearly 15% per year.

Vietnamese seafood export turnover has grown rapidly with an average increase of nearly 15% per year, from a low of US$550 million in 1995 to US$ 8.3 billion in 2017. But in recent years, although the situation of export shipments warned about violations of food safety regulations by importing markets have been reduced, it is still at high level, badly affecting the image and prestige of Vietnamese seafood products in the world market, reducing the economic efficiency of seafood processing and export enterprises, and badly affecting the life of fishermen and aquaculture farmers.

To solve this problem, the Prime Minister requested the ministries, sectors and localities shall concentrate on guiding and organizing the implementation of a number of tasks and solutions.

Eliminating poor quality and unsafe products

Specifically, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to review and improve the mechanisms and policies in the management of export seafood safety in the direction of creating maximum conditions to people, enterprises and meeting the requirements of export markets.

At the same time, closely controlling the licensing of veterinary drugs, the substances for treatment and improvement of aquaculture environment; Regularly reviewing and eliminating poor quality and unsafe products from the List of those permitted for circulation; directing the promotion of research and improvement of aquatic seed production technologies so as to take the initiative in quality seed sources; encouraging and guiding farmers and enterprises to apply sustainable aquaculture farming methods

In addition, disseminating the legal provisions of Vietnam and chairing and coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to update regulations of import markets; providing guidance and support to aquaculture farming establishments to apply safe production processes and advanced quality management programs; monitoring the residuals of toxic chemicals in seafood so as to promptly detect, warn, eliminate and handle absolutely the infringing products or establishments.

The MARD coordinates with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to closely control chemicals and antibiotics which are imported for medical and industrial use but are abused in production and business of seafood; continues to cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security to investigate, collect information and break down smuggling lines, storage, circulation and trading of banned substances, for environment treatment and improvement, and veterinary drugs outside the List of products permitted for circulation and strict handling of violations

Closely controlling imported antibiotics

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to direct the intensification of inspections and examinations (especially inspections and extraordinary inspections for establishments with signs of violation) in the production, circulation, trading and use of animal drugs, substances for environmental treatment and improvement in aquaculture and the abuse of antibiotics in the process of seafood preservation; and strictly handle violations in accordance with the provisions of law.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall host and coordinate with the MARD and the Ministry of Public Security to strictly control the imported antibiotics for industrial use, but for production and business of aquatic products; Coordinate with MARD in actively promoting bilateral and multilateral negotiations, signing agreements and mutual recognition with importing countries, creating mechanisms for timely settlement of problems, promoting seafood export.

The Ministry of Health shall chair and coordinate with the MARD and the Ministry of Public Security to strictly control imported chemicals and antibiotics for medical use, but banned from use in aquaculture production and business; To review and update the provisions on the maximum limits for residuals of veterinary drugs and chemicals in food, the provisions on the use of food additives and food processing aids in accordance with the guidance of Codex Alimentarius Commission.

The Ministry of Public Security directs relevant units from central to local level to actively cooperate with units in the agriculture and rural development sector to investigate, collect information and completely destroy smuggling lines, storage, circulation and trading of banned substances for environment treatment and improvement and veterinary drugs outside the List of those permitted for circulation.

The Prime Minister assigned the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) to coordinate with MARD and Ministry of Industry and Trade to update information and inform enterprises about changes in policies on import, food safety and hygiene standards, and quarantine requirements, import conditions of countries for aquatic products.

People's committees of provinces and cities under central government shall promote propaganda and dissemination of legal provisions on food safety in aquaculture production and business; Guide and support aquaculture establishments and establishments for collection and preliminary processing of aquatic products to apply advance production processes and quality management programs to ensure food safety; Support seafood processing enterprises to connect and build aquatic raw material areas to meet the requirements of the import markets and clarify the origin of products.

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Monitoring and early warning disease on aquaculture to promptly advise farmers to prevent diseases effectively, use aquatic veterinary drugs as prescribed and not use banned substances, or raw material antibiotics.