What should Vietnamese businesses do?

On September 13th, a seminar titled "US Regulations in the Food Industry - The Role of FSMA and FSVP in Accessing the US Market" was held in Ho Chi Minh City, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center (ITPC) in collaboration with TUV NORD Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The workshop attracted the attention of the business community. Photo: Thanh Minh.

The event was organized to share information about the 21 CFR regulations and FDA standards, particularly the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP).

Speaking at the event, Ms. Ho Thi Quyen, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center (ITPC), said: The United States annually imports a large amount of food from more than 200 countries and territories, accounting for about 15% of the total food consumed domestically.

Ms. Ho Thi Quyen, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center. Photo: Thanh Minh.

Currently, the United States is Vietnam's largest export market. In the first eight months of 2024 alone, Vietnam's trade surplus with the United States reached $68.1 billion, an increase of 28.6% compared to the same period last year. Of this, exports of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products reached $8.58 billion, accounting for 21.4% of the total, an increase of 23.5% compared to the same period.

Although Vietnamese food products are widely available in many international markets and export capacity is constantly improving, penetrating the US market remains a challenge for Vietnamese businesses.

"The reason is that Vietnam mainly exports raw materials, packaged in large bags and without labels. From there, businesses in other countries import them and then process them further or label them with their own country's brand," said Ms. Ho Thi Quyen.

Mr. Dang Bui Khue - Director of Training and Certification in Sustainable Development at TUV NORD Vietnam Co., Ltd. - provided an overview of the role of FSMA and FSVP in exporting to the US market and how to apply them to small and medium-sized enterprises at the workshop. Photo: Thanh Minh

Therefore, to capitalize on opportunities and conquer the US market, businesses need to understand and utilize all the incentives and policies in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). One of the most important programs of the FSMA is the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). This program requires food importers to carry out necessary verification steps and then assess the compliance of foreign suppliers with US food safety standards.

“FSMA is seen as a far-reaching reform in the United States that impacts not only US food distributors and products but also facilities that need to export food to the United States,” the ITPC Deputy Director emphasized.

At the workshop, speakers provided information on the core aspects of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) for exports to the U.S. market, and how to apply them to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Mr. Tran Nguyen Phuoc Hung - Training Director of SMP Consulting and Training Co., Ltd. shared information about the foreign supplier verification program and how it helps Vietnamese businesses meet FDA inspection standards at the workshop. Photo: Thanh Minh

In addition, speakers also shared methods for applying factory requirements and HACCP (principles used in establishing food safety management systems) as preventive measures for FDA inspection programs; foreign supplier verification programs and ways to help Vietnamese businesses meet FDA inspection standards…

The workshop provided businesses with a clear understanding of US regulations in the food industry, particularly the role of FSMA and FSVP in accessing this demanding market. This helped businesses grasp regulatory requirements, thereby improving their export capabilities and compliance with international standards in the future.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/xuat-khau-thuc-pham-vao-thi-truong-hoa-ky-doanh-nghiep-viet-can-lam-gi-345688.html