Risk of Vietnam becoming a "super importer"
The Vietnam Animal Husbandry Association said that on March 12, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duong, Chairman of the Vietnam Animal Husbandry Association; Mr. Nguyen Nhu So, Chairman of the Vietnam Animal Feed Association; Mr. Hoang Kim Giao, Chairman of the Vietnam Large Livestock Association; Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Vietnam Poultry Association, jointly signed a petition to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to propose shortcomings and solutions to remove difficulties for the livestock industry.
Imported pork prices continue to drop at Big C Thang Long Supermarket, Hanoi
Notably, in the petition, leaders of four major associations in the livestock industry proposed measures to strictly control the massive import of livestock products from abroad to Vietnam to protect domestic production. The reason is that Vietnam's current regulations on importing livestock products still have many loopholes.
Meanwhile, to export poultry meat and eggs, Vietnam must endure many strict technical barriers in importing countries, making our livestock products weak and disadvantaged domestically.
In 2023, the import turnover of livestock products was 3.53 billion USD, while exports only reached 515,000 USD. In addition to official imports, there is a very large volume of livestock and livestock products imported illegally (smuggled). According to the reflection of authorities and the media, in 2023 and the first weeks of 2024, every day there are 6,000 - 8,000 pigs (weighing 100 - 120 kg/head) smuggled into Vietnam, not to mention a large amount of buffalo, cows, discarded chickens, breeding chickens...
The massive import of livestock products into Vietnam is a serious issue, causing many risks, consequences, and spreading diseases, especially dangerous diseases such as African swine fever, avian influenza, and lumpy skin disease in cattle...
Representatives of 4 livestock associations and unions affirmed that imported livestock products are causing unfair competitive pressure on domestic livestock products. Because currently, most of the officially imported livestock products are by-products that are rarely used as food in other countries, such as: heads, necks, wings, hearts, kidneys, gizzards, discarded laying hens and dairy cows... not to mention that they are also foods that are near their expiration date, so they are very cheap, only 50% of the price of domestic products when imported.
In addition, imported livestock products pose a great risk to food quality and safety for consumers, especially in the collective kitchens of students and workers... who are the main users of these imported frozen foods.
According to representatives of associations, massively imported livestock products are destroying investment opportunities and motivation for domestic businesses and breeders, and in the long term will directly affect national food security.
According to representatives of associations and unions, with the current import rate, in just 3-5 years, Vietnam will become a super importer of livestock products. Therefore, the State needs policies and time for domestic livestock farmers and businesses to adapt.
Building technical barriers, banning informal imports
The petition of the presidents of four associations and unions recommends that the Prime Minister direct the National Steering Committee for Prevention of Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods and the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development; Industry and Trade; Science and Technology; Public Security; and the Army to strengthen measures to inspect and strictly control the import of livestock products.
Imported frozen pork leg sold at Big C Thang Long Supermarket costs only 60,000 VND/kg, very cheap compared to domestically raised meat.
Regarding official imports, the four associations and unions recommended urgently building technical barriers and trade policies to minimize official imports of livestock products.
This includes strengthening quarantine measures, quality control and minimizing the number of border gates allowed to import live animals into Vietnam, as experienced by countries around the world, typically the US, China, Thailand, Japan, South Korea... which have been very effective.
Specifically, these countries have requirements for cold heat treatment with complex technology, high costs or each country only allows on average 3-5 land, sea and air border gates to import live animals. Meanwhile, Vietnam has over 30 border gates of all kinds allowed to import live animals.
Representatives of four associations and unions proposed to ban all forms of informal imports and the use of livestock and livestock products imported in this form.
Because currently, domestic livestock production basically meets domestic consumption needs, in addition, Vietnam has a long border, the surrounding countries do not have good veterinary work and disease control. Without drastic measures to control the problem of smuggling of livestock and livestock products, Vietnam cannot control diseases and domestic livestock production, as China and Thailand have done very successfully.
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