August 27, 2010

Brazil to inspect Vietnam's seafood safety

A delegation from the Brazil Department of Fishery will inspect hygiene and safety of Vietnam's aquacultures and seafood processing plants, said the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

The move came after the Brazil National Council of Fishery Aquaculture and Exploitation (CONEP) complained that they have lost control over tra fish, the Brazil's major import from Vietnam. However, specific schedule of the delegation has not yet been mentioned.

Earlier, the CONEP blamed that Vietnamese tra fish is bred at unsafe environment, but available at big supermarkets in Brazil. The Vietnamese fish, which is selling for unusual low prices, are threatening Brazil fishery industry.

Vietnamese firms have exported around 6,000 tonnes of tra fish worth nearly US$12 million, and 18 tonnes of frozen fish of other kinds for US$40,000 to Brazil by late July.

The VASEP that the number of Vietnamese firms exporting seafood to Brazil in the January to June period doubled from a year earlier to 120.