Nearly 1,320 tons of meat contaminated with Salmonella were detected before being imported into Vietnam.

According to information from the Department of Animal Health, since Circular No. 04/2024 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development took effect from May 16, 2024, as of September 25, 2024, a total of 55 batches (over 1,319 tons of animal meat) tested positive for Salmonella out of a total of 6,679 batches tested for Salmonella, accounting for nearly 1% detected before being imported into Vietnam.

Import quarantine for negative batches is carried out within 1-3 days; only about 1% of positive batches of animal products need to be isolated and cultured for confirmation, which takes 5-6 working days in accordance with current legal regulations.

Regarding some opinions that Circular No. 04/2024 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development makes it difficult to import, the Department of Animal Health has held meetings with the Agricultural Counselors and officials of the Embassies of Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada. These countries all confirmed that there are no major problems.

However, some Agricultural Counselors from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Singapore, France, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Denmark and the Netherlands... expressed concern about the issuance of Circular No. 04 causing difficulties in meat imports from other countries and requested to discuss and clarify regulations on quarantine of animals and terrestrial animal products.

From May 16, 2024 to September 25, 2024, a total of 55 batches (over 1,319 tons of meat) tested positive for Salmonella out of a total of 6,679 batches tested for Salmonella, accounting for nearly 1% detected before being imported into Vietnam. Illustrative photo

In response to this request, on June 27, 2024, the Vietnam SPS Office held a meeting with the US side at the WTO headquarters and invited the Director of the Department of Animal Health, Department of International Cooperation (to attend the online meeting) to discuss and answer questions from the US side. The Department of Animal Health affirmed that the issuance of the Circular complied with the provisions of international law and did not cause difficulties for import enterprises in the recent past.

Specifically, from May 16, 2024 (when Circular No. 04/2024/TT-BNNPTNT takes effect) to June 16, 2024 (after 1 month of implementation), countries exported 59,461 tons of meat and meat products to Vietnam, equivalent to the same period in 2023 (60,516 tons of meat and meat products) and equivalent to April 2024 (60,525 tons of meat and meat products).

Thus, up to now, the implementation of Circular No. 04/2024/TT-BNNPTNT has not affected the quantity of animal products from countries exporting to Vietnam.

Meanwhile, the EU's regulations on Salmonella and E.coli indicators are that there must be no Salmonella spp in 25g of meat; the total E.coli number must not exceed 102 to 5,102 depending on the type of product. The UK requires Vietnam to have a National Program to monitor Salmonella spp for processed chicken products that are being negotiated for export to this country.

South Korea also has similar requirements for controlling Salmonella spp.; Japan, the Russian Federation and the Eurasian Economic Union have required Vietnam to organize the control of Salmonella spp when negotiating and exporting cooked chicken to the markets of these countries.

China requires monitoring and testing for Salmonella spp when exporting milk to its market. Singapore stipulates that there is no pathogenic serotype of Salmonella (Enteritidis; Pullorum, ...) in 25g; no pathogenic serotype of E.coli group O (such as O157) in 25g of beef.

Domestically, businesses and associations have made recommendations to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on strict control of imported goods to protect domestic livestock and the health of domestic consumers.

For example, CJ Group in Vietnam sent the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 24/2024/CV-CJ dated January 25, 2024, proposing a number of urgent solutions to remove difficulties in livestock development in Vietnam.

Accordingly, the unit recommends that the Prime Minister continue to pay close attention and direct relevant agencies to use many preventive measures to minimize the import of livestock products into Vietnam. At the same time, it is proposed to issue “… technical barriers in trade defense, restricting the import of unwanted food and livestock products into Vietnam”.

Domestic livestock associations also sent documents to the Prime Minister and the National Assembly Chairman; the National Assembly Standing Committee and relevant ministries and branches on strict control of imported goods, similar to regulations on quarantine of animals and domestic livestock products, protecting animal health and consumers. National Assembly deputies also had questions to strengthen control of imported meat.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the first 7 months of 2024, Vietnam imported over 450,000 tons of meat and animal by-products for food, an increase of 6.4% (of which meat products reached over 320,000 tons, an increase of over 40%) compared to the same period in 2023.

Among them, India is the leading country in exporting meat products (meat and edible by-products of buffalo) to Vietnam with a quantity of over 102,000 tons, accounting for 25.3% of meat and by-products exported to Vietnam, an increase of 17.5% over the same period in 2023.

Next is the US with over 53,000 tons, accounting for 13.5% of meat and by-products exported to Vietnam, down 11.3% over the same period in 2023. Russia is the third country, with over 47,000 tons, accounting for 11.7% and down 5.8% over the same period in 2023.

Germany ranked 4th, with over 30,000 tons, accounting for 7.7% of meat and by-products exported to Vietnam, up 16.5% over the same period in 2023. Germany ranked 3rd in exporting edible by-products to Vietnam (after Poland and Russia) with over 24,000 tons, accounting for 17.12% and up 37.6% over the same period in 2023.

South Korea ranked 5th, with over 30,000 tons, accounting for 7.57% of meat and by-products exported to Vietnam, an increase of over 1% over the same period in 2023.

Source: https://danviet.vn/gan-1320-tan-thit-nhiem-salmonella-duoc-phat-hien-truoc-khi-nhap-vao-viet-nam-20241002133357739.htm