May 11, 2007

Catfish from Vietnam, China rejected by Russia

Russia has declined to import seafood from two Chinese and four Vietnamese exporters after it had found to contain bacteria on its imported tra fish samples, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said.

Russia has asked China to check its own exports after it has found to have contaminations on its seafood shipments.

However, Nguyen Tu Cuong of the National Fisheries Quality and Veterinary Directorate (Nafiqaved)¡ªthe agency tasked to oversee the quality of exported seafood¡ªsaid they are yet to receive any notice from Russia regarding Vietnamese shipments.

Nafiqaved said they will publicly name the Vietnamese exporters once they have received information from Russia.

The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Services (VPSS) has examined Vietnamese fishing ports, fish markets, aquaculture and seafood processing establishments to inspect if local processors have followed their requirements on food hygiene.

In mid January 2007, Deputy Minister of Fisheries Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, upon the request of Russia, has mandated Vietnamese seafood exporters to secure certificates of food hygiene for Russian-bound products.

The certificate under the form provided by VPSS must be presented to prove that their plant has met its requirements.

Moreover, all seafood exporters must follow the requirements by Nafiqaved in labelling and coding export consignments.

In 2006, Vietnam exported 58,705 tonnes of seafood to Russia, worth US$126.3 million, an increase of 347 percent in quantity and 275 percent in value compared to 2005.