This booklet was prepared for the readers to easy understand about Vietnamese Pangasius and Pangasius industry.

Vietnamese Pangasius are highly appreciated by local and international consumers, not only for its high nutritious value, white muscle, without horizontal bones, without smell of sediment and seaweed a little of taste lipid content, but also for its safety to all consumers in all age groups.

Vietnamese Pangasius is a species of traditional farming by farmers in the Mekong River Delta. To meet high demand of global and domestic consumers, after 10 year development since 1996, fish farming area has been expanded nearly 6,000 hectares in 10 Mekong Delta provinces.

Most of fish farming area are strictly managed in accordance with national regulations on food safety and environmental protection. Until June 2012, over a half of fish farming area nationwide is audited and certified by internationally sustainable standards such as GlobalGAP, AquaGAP, BAP/GAA and ASC (recently certified). The process of auditing and certifying for Vietnamese pangasius is being carried out strictly according to requirements of consumers which proved that Vietnamese pangasius is not only loved by tasty smell with high nutritious value but it also satisfies strict requirements of the market.

Vietnam has nearly 100 pangasius exporting and processing companies in which their processing facilities are equipped modern equipments and controlled in accordance with HACCP. Pangasius products are being exported to 145 countries and territories worldwide such as EU, the U.S., ASEAN, Canada, the Middle East, China, Japan, etc. Fish export volume and value to markets reported steady annual growth of 10 - 18 percent, worth by US$1.8 - 2 billion per year in two recent years.

The booklet compiled under the Q & A form provides basic knowledge of pangasius, techniques of farming and processing, quality management, information of importers and the government’s regulations on breeding, processing and exporting specific fish products.

 

Editorial Board

Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP)

Head office: 218 street No.6, Lot A, An Phu - An Khanh New Urban Area, District 2, Hochiminh, Vietnam

Tel: (+84 8) 6281 0430 / Fax: (+84 8) 6281 0438

Email: vasephcmcity@vasep.com.vn

Rep. office: 10 Nguyen Cong Hoan street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi, Vietnam

Tel: (+84.4) 3771 5055; Fax: (+84.4) 3771 5084

E-mail: vasephn@vasep.com.vn

 

Does the Vietnamese Government regulate and carry out inspections on hygiene conditions of pangasius processing plants?

Yes, it does! NAFIQAD, the competent authority in charge, has been recognized by the EU, Canada, Korea,...) equivalent in term of competencies to effectively control the quality and safety of fishery products intended for export.

The Vietnamese Government has promulgated regulations on the control of hygiene conditions at fishery processing establishments (including pangasius), specifically:

1.     Decree No. 36/2014/ND-CP dated April 29, 2014, on raising, processing, and exporting pangasius.

2.     Circular No 48/2013/TT-BNNPTNT stipulating the inspection and certification of food safety for export fishery product.

3.     The Circular No.14/2009/TT-BNN dated  March 12, 2009 guiding environmental management in seafood processing.  

4.     QCVN 02-14: 2009/BNNPTNT:  National technical standard on industrial aquatic feed producing plants - Conditions for food safety and hygiene, veterinary sanitation and environmental protection.

5.     QCVN 02-02: 2009/BNNPTNT:  National technical standard on seafood trading and producing plants- Food safety and quality guarantee program under HACCP regulation.

6.     QCVN 02-01:2009/BNNPTNT: National technical standard on seafood trading and producing plants - general conditions for ensuring food safety and hygiene.

7.     QCVN 02 - 08: 2009/BNNPTNT: National technical standard on seafood ice water producing plants - Conditions for food safety and hygiene guarantee.

8.     QCVN 02 - 09: 2009/BNNPTNT: Conditions for food safety and hygiene: seafood cold storage facility - Conditions for food safety and hygiene guarantee.


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