“In the context of new developments in product quality and food safety, managers should learn from experience and take a harder look to ensure suitable approaches,” said Vice President Doan Duy Khuong of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) at the seminar “Vietnam-UK cooperation and innovation in food industry”. The seminar was jointly sponsored by the British Embassy, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), British Business Group Vietnam (BBGV) and VCCI in Hanoi recently in the framework of festival of foods and drinks from the UK.
The global food safety and its impact on community health and consumers’ confidence have been a popular topic on mass media. In fact, it has been daily concern of consumers, businesses, governments on food safety, supply chain and packaging. In the conditions of global economic integration, growth of population and family income, food export-import deserves better attention from concerned parties.
According to the report by Ministry of Health, in 2014, Vietnam has exported to almost 120 countries and territories. Several up-markets as the US, Japan, Canada, South Korea, etc. have consumed Vietnamese foodstuff worth nearly US$37 billion. Vietnamese products such as rice, tea, coffee and pepper have been at the top of exporting countries. The total amount of Vietnamese food can feed the entire population together with 100 million more people.
More attention has been given to Vietnamese food market with increasing number of regions planting organic vegetable and safe breeding. Many food processing facilities have been granted food safety standards.
However, besides such achievements, Mr Nguyen Thanh Phong, Head of Food Safety Department, Ministry of Health, said that food safety still faces challenges.
Although contaminated foods and related diseases in industrial zones are under control, the risk remains high with chemicals and bacteria in food processing materials and small-sized food processing facilities failing to meet hygienic conditions.
Meanwhile, government budget for food safety in Vietnam is modest (only 1/20 that of Thailand in 2001-2005, some increase in 2006-2010, but in 2014 down again by 60 per cent of 2013).
Furthermore, while big in volume, ranking Top 1, Top 2 in the world exports, Vietnamese trade remains low in value due to exporting mainly raw materials. Vietnamese businesses could not meet the world market standards in quality and food safety.
Therefore, Mr Phong believed that Vietnamese businesses should focus on developing areas for war materials and food safety to meet the demand at home and export to the world market. For processed foods, Vietnam has production lines of advanced technology ensuring food safety from the beginning of production.
According to Mr Eddiee O’shea, lawyer at Hogan Lovells International LLP, there are at least 50 guiding documents on food safety. However, Vietnam remains without a legal framework on food safety, and the responsibility is shared among numerous agencies.
According to a survey by British Business Group, with internet applications, Vietnamese export businesses need just 7-30 days to get the approval of Vietnam Food Safety Department.
As a matter of fact, to facilitate food export, in addition to improving product quality, it is most urgent to complete legal documents and administrative reform.
Quynh Chi
Vietnamese
