Strengthening post-inspection with enterprises exporting agricultural products to China

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Chinese enterprises learn about Vietnam's bird's nest products. Photo: N.H

Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recently received a notice from the Import-Export Food Safety Administration and the General Administration of Customs of China requesting an online inspection of five juice processing enterprises. Frozen fruit has a shipment that violates food safety regulations among 12 Chinese enterprises.

According to China's Orders 248, 249 (GACC), fruit juice products are not on the list of 18 product groups that must be registered through Vietnamese authorities, so businesses register directly through the Vietnamese system: https://cifer.singlewindow.cn online registration system of the General Administration of Customs of China (CIFER) with the General Administration of Customs of China.

However, according to the provisions of Article 12 of Order 248 "Regulations on the management of registration of foreign food production enterprises imported into the People's Republic of China" of the General Administration of Customs of China, the competent authority of the country (area) where it is located or the imported foreign food production enterprise is responsible for the authenticity, completeness and legality of the submitted documents.

A review of 12 enterprises showed that some enterprises had incorrect registration information with the Chinese side. Some businesses only have commercial activities, no production activities, some businesses have shipments with food safety warnings.

To be proactive in market opening negotiations and coordinate with the Chinese side to handle problems, promote the export of agricultural, forestry and fishery products to China for enterprises producing and processing frozen fruit juice products in particular and agricultural product processing enterprises in general.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requested functional units to make statistics and update a full list of food production and trading establishments in the area under its management according to the provisions of Article 12 of Circular No. 38/2018/BNN-PTNT dated December 25, 2018, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In case of necessity, coordinate with management agencies and business registration authorities to ensure complete and accurate updates and statistics of information for establishments under local management.

In case enterprises export to China products that are not on the list of 18 product groups, they must register through Vietnamese competent authorities under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the registration directly with the General Administration of Customs of China, and at the same time send the application for information registered with the local management agency and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (through the Agro-Forestry-Fishery Quality Management Department) to coordinate in handling problems at the request of Chinese authorities.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also requires strict supervision, inspection and post-inspection for enterprises in complying with and fully maintaining the regulations on ensuring food safety of the Vietnam and China enterprises; promptly detect and strictly handle violations of food safety according to current regulations.

During the implementation process, if there are any difficulties or problems, the locality is requested to notify the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in writing (through the Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Management Department) for coordination in implementation.