Suspending export registration if a trader has never registered to export catfish to US.

Processing catfish for export. Photo: Internet.

According to NAFIQAD, the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently sent a document to NAFIQAD about regulations relating to Siluriformes catfish exports to the US.

Specifically, during the transition time, FSIS will only accept the addition of Viet Nam traders to the list of Silurifomes fish processing companies being allowed to export to the US, if the companies have previously exported Silurifomes fish to the country. For the traders who have never exported, the FSIS only considers addition to the List on their completion of assessing under the Viet Nam food safety control system for Silurifomes fish.

Therefore, during this time, NAFIQAD asks traders who have never exported Silurifomes fish to the US to suspend registration in the list of exporters.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Tiep, the Director of NAFIQAD revealed in the transition time, Silurifomes fish processing companies wishing to export to the US (from cutting, freezing to packing) must have their names on the List of traders allowed to export to the US, published on the FSIS website.

NAFIQAD has sent a request to the FSIS for non application of the above mentioned regulations and the fact that only final processing companies are compulsory to have their names in the FSIS’ list meanwhile initial processing companies would be examined by the NAFIQAD for food safety certificates. While waiting for an official reply from the FSIS, NAFIQAD requests Silurifomes fish processing and exporting companies to only buy semi-products of Silurifomes fish from the companies on the FSIS list and published on the website.

With regard to labelling Silurifomes fish products exported to the US as Mr. Tiep shared, codes of final processing companies, before exporting, must be noted in the letter of guarantee and on packagings.

During the transition time, the FSIS has not forced us to implement the aforesaid regulations, but, FSIS requests NAFIQAD to immediately notify traders to comply at the earliest.

Besides, names of companies as exporters or processing and semi-product companies may be printed on the packagings. However, their codes must not be printed on direct packagings. Thus, NAFIQAD requests he traders to carefully study the FSIS’ new regulations.

Updated statistics to June 2016 show that Viet Nam has 57 companies permitted to export Silurifomes fish to the US.

Previously, according to the Farm Bill 2014 by the US, since March 2016, catfish of the Silurifomes species which are domestically raised or imported shall be controlled by the FSIS instead of the Food and Drug Administration under the Department of Health and Human Services.

Hence, Viet Nam catfish exported to the US shall comply with strict provisions. According to the FSIS, products are only allowed to be imported in the US if fish culturing in Viet Nam is similar to the raising of catfish in the US. The code of law took effect from March, 2016. The grace period (transition time) is 18 months (between March 1st 2106 and August 31st 2018) so FSIS regulations shall not be applied in a comprehensive manner until September, 2017.