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

 

The use of food additives in pangasius processing, is it in compliance with requirements of importing countries and controlled by Vietnamese competent authority?

Yes! On April 29, 2014, the government issued Decree No. 36/2014/ND-CP dated, on raising, processing, and exporting pangasius.

For food additives:

The Decision regulates that food additives used in processing should be in the list of food additives authorized for use by competent authority of importing country (for export products) and of Vietnam (for domestic consumption products). The quantity of food additives used in the product is not allowed to exceed the MRLs authorized for each type of product.      

For the labelling:

The labelling of frozen fish products should be in compliance with Vietnamese regulations (for domestic consumption products) and importing country’s requirements (for export products) which are to ensure the accuracy of the product nature and do not be opposite to Vietnamese regulations. Apart from labelling information as required by Vietnam and importing countries, net weight and gross weight (including fish, glazing water and package) or quantity of glazing water in the fish have to be clearly stated on the label.

 

Non-compliance consignments shall not be granted with a certificate for export or placing into domestic market and be treated in compliance with current Vietnamese regulations. Competent authorities of importing countries and client shall be informed of intentional violation cases.  


Comment