VASEP's Press Release to denounces baseless claims of labor abuse in shrimp industry

PRESS RELEASE

Vietnam denounces baseless claims of labor abuse in shrimp industry

Ha Noi, Vietnam - 31 August 2024 – The Vietnamese government,  Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and Vietnam shrimp industry strongly condemn the recent claims made by Sustainability Incubator regarding labor abuse in the country's shrimp sector. The allegations in Sustainability Incubator’s report   are unfounded, misleading, and detrimental to the reputation of Vietnam's shrimp exports.

Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) is a non-government organization, representing for most of Vietnam seafood enterprises, joining hand with authorities to solve issues related to fisheries industry. One of the important missions of VASEP is to support its members to strengthen competitiveness of Vietnam seafood products in the World market by continuous improvement on the quality of  exporting products and in the aquaculture as well.

VASEP members are reliable seafood producers and exporters, representing  80-84% of the total seafood exports of Vietnam. VASEP member companies operate under the national laws and regulations and the international standards for food safety, social responsibility and environment protection. That’s why Vietnam seafood products get increasing number of importing markets in past years. Up to 2024, Vietnam seafood products are exported to more than 170 markets in the world. With 9-11 billion USD of seafood export value in recent year, Vietnam is ranking 3rd among the top seafood suppliers for the world market  after China and Norway.

Vietnam has made significant strides in improving labor standards and working conditions across all industries, including shrimp production. Our government has implemented robust labor laws and regulations, established effective enforcement mechanisms, and promoted responsible corporate social responsibility practices.

The Vietnamese shrimp industry is a major economic driver, providing livelihoods for millions of people, particularly in rural areas. The industry has undergone significant modernization and has been committed to ensuring ethical and sustainable practices.

Annually, shrimp sector contributes around 40- 45% of the total value equivalent to 3.5- 4 billion USD per year. Currently, shrimp is exported from Vietnam to 100 countries which the top 5 biggest market as following: Europe, The USA, Japan, China and Korea. With the non- stop efforts,  we are proud to be the World’ s top 4 shrimp suppliers with 10-13% in value of the world shrimp market.

Vietnam has a lot of advantages to develop shrimp industry especially in the Mekong Delta where occupies 95% shrimp production and also the hub of shrimp processing plants. Until now, there are more than 200 shrimp processing plants approved by the European Commission with periodic inspections at the site here in Vietnam.

To get these remarkable achievements, since the founding in the early 1990s, the shrimp industry in Vietnam has grown in both scale and technical management and competence in quality, traceability, management of environment impacts throughout the entire supply chain starting with hatcheries, feed mills, farms and processing plants leading to export through modern cold –storage facilities. To most reliable evidence that shrimp farming is both safe and sustainable can be found by the existence of  the increasing number of certifications schemes put forth by international standards bodies for Good aquaculture practices including BAP (Best Aquaculture Practice), Global Gap and ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council). In order to achieve these certifications, farms must be built and operated based on the criteria:

• Social responsibility (eg.no child labor, worker health and safety, freedom of assembly, community relations).
• Compliance with law (legal compliance, legal right there).
• Conservation of natural environment and biodiversity.
• Conservation of water resources.
• Preserve diversity of wild species and populations
• Responsible use of feed and other resources.
• Animal health (no use of antibiotics and unnecessary chemicals).

Because shrimp enterprises that are VASEP’s members contributing around 90% of shrimp export from Vietnam, therefore VASEP through its Shrimp Committee has  collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( MARD), the NAFIQPM which belongs to MARD to solve the industry obstacles and problems including quality assurance, safety hygiene and the compliance with rules, regulations of Vietnam law and foreign markets.

Thanks to this collaboration and the advanced certifications and compliance of  Law of Labor, Law of Food Safety and the regulations of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, VASEP ensure that our member companies are implementing good practices in both farms and processing plants including shrimp products. Beside, every year, the companies must be inspected by the independent audit agencies, international certification bodies and Vietnam authorities.

To maintain 100 importing markets and develop the new market places, Vietnam shrimp companies must keep their reputation by the control the whole system  to meet the higher and higher requirements and regulations from the world market. Some examples include:

• For labor issue: working hours for employees in Vietnam shrimp companies have been applied in accordance with Labor Code 2019, Decree 145/2020/NĐ-CP dated 14 December 2020 by the Government. 
• Labor Union at shrimp enterprises: the Law regulates that every  shrimp companies must declare and register Working Regulations with the local Labor Department, Invalids and Social Affairs in order to  protect interest of workers including working hours and working conditions…
• Getting ASC, Global GAP and other international standards shows that Vietnam shrimp farmers and processors are not allowed to use antibiotics and unnecessary chemicals in their production chain. Most importantly, Vietnamese authorities now have regulations and programs that strictly control the use of chemicals and antibiotics in aquaculture and seafood processing. Directorate of Fisheries (D-Fish) and local fisheries authorities regularly guide and inspect the use of antibiotics and develop the shrimp industry in the direction of chain linkage (with strict contractual, controlled production, not using or restricting the use of antibiotics, stable consumption of products ...), certified shrimp farming.
• Vietnam has been implementing the National Residue monitoring Program (according to Circular No. 31/2015/TT-BNNPTNT dated October 06th, 2015), implemented by NAFIQPM and every year send annual report on results of previous year and plan for the next year to the EU.
• For seafood processors and exporters: they have been carrying out the program of internal monitoring and prevention of antibiotic residues in products (mandated according to Circular No. 48/ /2013/TT-BNNPTNT): Collect samples to test antibiotic residues and toxic substances at the farm before harvest; Take samples to test antibiotic residue to control when receiving raw materials before processing.
• Before exporting, the competent authorities of Vietnam (NAFIQPM) take the sample from the consignment to test antibiotic residue before issuing the health certificates which is  legally required by all European border inspection authorities for all imports of shrimp and all food coming from Vietnam to European markets

With the responsibility and experience of an Organization representing for Vietnam seafood Producers and Exporters, VASEP confirm that Vietnam's shrimp industry has enough the advantage conditions to develop towards more sustainability complying all the national and international laws and regulations about labor working conditions, social responsibility and food safety.

Finally, for Vietnam shrimp and other seafood reputation, we have put our efforts companion with MARD in order to all shrimp enterprises must fully comply the national and importing market  laws and regulations in both farming and processing sector.

With the above information, VASEP once again affirms that the information and findings in the report of the Sustainability Incubator organization about the Vietnamese shrimp industry are untrue, baseless and not objective. Therefore, VASEP urge Sustainability Incubator to retract their false and harmful claims and engage in constructive dialogue with the Vietnamese government and industry representatives to build a stronger and more transparent partnership. We are willing to meet and conduct dialogue with relevant parties to provide necessary and accurate information. Vietnam is committed to maintaining its reputation as a reliable and responsible supplier of high-quality shrimp to the global market.

Contact:

Le Hang (Ms.)

Communication Director

Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP)

Email: lehang@vasep.com.vn

Cellphone: +84 982195872