Pepper exporters must tighten control over pesticide residue to enter EU market
VOV.VN - Vietnamese pepper producers and exporters are required to gain greater insights into food safety requirements and maximum residue limits (MRL) set by the European Union if they wish to further penetrate the market.
According to statistics compiled by the General Department of Vietnam Customs, local pepper exports to the EU surged by 47% to reach US$130.5 million last year, a rise of 47% compared to 2020, with the pepper market share accounting for 29.75% of the total import value.
According to data given by the Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, the nation continued to be the largest pepper supplier to the bloc in the first quarter of the year, making up 33% of total import value and representing a rise of 34.6% compared to the same period from last year.
Hoang Thi Lien, president of the Vietnam Pepper Association, said the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has opened up a wealth of opportunities for Vietnamese goods, including pepper and spices, thanks to tariff incentives, which has led to Vietnamese pepper enjoying competitive advantages over rivals such as Brazil and Indonesia.
Along with these opportunities, local pepper exports have faced several challenges in terms of brand development and control over residues of pesticides and fertilisers, Lien noted.
Experts in the sector pointed out that Vietnamese exporters have also encountered difficulties in meeting requirements set in terms of the rules of origin and regulations of food hygiene and safety as well Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures set by the EVFTA.
Sibylle Bachmann, deputy head of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Vietnam, affirmed that there is plenty of room ahead to improve the export of Vietnamese spices to the EU market, adding that local firms are required to meet standards set in terms sustainability and biodiversity conservation if they wish to make further inroads into the high-end market.
