Vo Van Phuc, general director of the Viet Nam Clean Seafood Corporation, said food safety policies cost time and money for seafood exporters, reducing their competitiveness.
Others slammed the procedures for testing imported seafood, pointing out that importers had to register for quarantine at one place and then went to another for testing in addition to completing many procedures.
This took much time, sometimes up to 10 days, for their goods to be cleared, they said.
Vu Huy Quang of Sai Gon Food Company said most import consignments came with health certification (HC) from exporting countries, meaning they are safe, so testing them all over again was just a waste of time.
Authorities should therefore consider abolishing quarantining at ports or find another way to make it easier for businesses, he said.
Nguyen Thi Minh Tam, head of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) office, said apart from monitoring production at processing firms, authorities also tested export consignments to ensure food safety for issuing export licences.
The procedures took much time and affected export activities, she said.
Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP general secretary, said ensuring food safety right from the early stages would be more efficient than testing export consignments.
"Most seafood processing firms have good food safety control systems.
"We need to focus more on checking inputs to mitigate risks involved in food safety."
Government programmes to control farming areas and toxic substances had seen some early results, but they should focus more on educating farmers to be responsible, he said.
Participants called on the National Agro-Forestry Fisheries Quality Assurance to upgrade its website to provide more information about food safety control and quarantine procedures to make it easier for firms.
Ngo Hai Phan, deputy chairman and general secretary of the Advisory Council for Administrative Procedures Reform, promised to pass on attendees' suggestions to the Government for consideration.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 49 million, up 151% compared to the same period in 2025. This impressive growth reflects positive momentum in the tilapia sector, with Brazil emerging as a key driver of growth, while frozen tilapia fillets continued to be the industry's leading export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK have shown positive signs in the first months of 2026. While the UK’s overall tuna imports from the world declined, imports from Vietnam increased strongly, indicating that there is still room for Vietnam to expand its market share. However, behind this growth, competitive pressure remains intense, especially as the UK continues to be a major market for established suppliers such as Ecuador, Mauritius, and Ghana.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Biofloc technology is being piloted in several rice–shrimp farming models in Ca Mau Province, showing initial positive results in controlling pond environments, improving shrimp seed quality, and supporting sustainable aquaculture development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia together contributed USD 108 million to Vietnam’s pangasius exports, accounting for around 15% of the industry’s total export turnover. Amid tightening global whitefish supply and slowing demand in several traditional markets, Latin America is increasingly becoming an important expansion destination for the sector.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Alongside the development of high-tech shrimp farming, Ha Tinh Province is accelerating the cultivation of high-value freshwater aquatic species, with red tilapia emerging as an effective and sustainable farming model.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
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