This was announced at a conference in Hanoi on March 24 to review the implementation of the national target programme on food hygiene and safety.

Participants in the conference emphasised the need to increase public awareness of the issues and intensify inspection work on the implementation of regulations on food hygiene and safety. It is necessary to build canteens to provide safe food for workers in a number of provinces and cities.

In addition, they said, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should cooperate with relevant ministries and agencies to control the use of veterinary medicine, fodder and insecticides and to build safe agricultural production areas.