(The Saigon Times Daily) Inspection teams of the European Union and the United States are in Vietnam to supervise the quality of agro-aquatic products of local companies with their shipments bound for these two markets.
The National Agro-Forestry- Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (Nafiqad) now is receiving the foreign inspectors.
Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Producers and Processors, said the inspections are carried out annually in order to evaluate the supervision and management system of Vietnamese relevant authorities as well as checking specific situations at aquatic farming areas and processors in the country.
“I think there is no need to worry about the inspection,” Hoe asserted.
From last Thursday to tomorrow, the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU has been checking residues of toxic substances in animal and products of animal including aquatic products and bee’s honey. They have also inspected veterinary drugs of a number of enterprises and processors in Soc Trang, Dong Thap, Can Tho, Binh Thuan and HCMC.
Besides, FVO has also inspected the supervision system of State management agencies regarding the safety of seafood products in provinces and cities to be exported to the European market.
A Nafiqad official accompanying the EU inspectors during their job at two seafood processors on Monday said the inspection result will be announced in Hanoi this Friday.
From September 9, two inspection delegations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have also been working in Vietnam for two weeks to inspect producers of cashew, sesame, peanuts, dried fruits or processed products in Dong Thap, Long An, Binh Duong and HCMC.
The U.S. delegation is also expected to release the inspection results late this week.