Russia suspends Vietnamese Tra fish imports
(VOV) - Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (VPSS) has decided to halt importing Tra fish and other aquatic products from 7 Vietnamese businesses as of January 31, 2014.
Nguyen Nhu Tiep, head of the Vietnam National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD), said though the Russian side has yet to send an official document to Vietnam, Russian media said its customs agency was required to refuse Vietnamese Tra fish consignments, starting late January.
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| Harvesting Tra fish in the Mekong Delta |
In December 2013, the VPSS made an inspection tour of 8 processors, two farms and two laboratories of 8 export businesses in HCM City and the Mekong Delta. They found most farms and businesses did not meet Russian specifications for fish imports.
Tiep revealed most Vietnamese Tra fish exporters, plus those under a 2013 Russian ban, have failed to win a license to ship their products to this market.
He said Vietnam has met global quality standards including GlobalGAP and ASC of various markets, and Vietnamese businesses strictly adhere to these regulations.
He admitted that Russia’s import procedures are complex, and the number of Vietnamese businesses eligible to export products to Russia has remained unchanged for the past four years.
Tiep reminded Vietnamese businesses to improve product quality rather than quantity.