March 18, 2009
Vietnam resumes seafood exports to Russia
Vietnam will complete procedures necessary to resume exporting seafood to Russia, after it banned seafood imports from Vietnam in December 2008.
According to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) deputy minister Luong Le Phuong, the National Agro-Forestry and Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) and the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Physio-sanitary surveillance (VPSS) have agreed to reduce the number of Vietnamese exporters.
VPSS will inspect and choose Vietnamese exporters that meet hygiene safety requirements.
A Vietnamese delegation visited Russia on March 16 to sign contracts with Russian importers, officially re-opening the market.
MARD has requested that VPSS open a representative office in Vietnam to facilitate the inspection of seafood exports.
Vietnam will also set up a group on behalf of the two sides to help manage all future export activities.
