Russia to consume Vietnamese Tra fish again
(VOV) - Russia is likely to resume importing Tra (Pangasius) fish within the next one or two months, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (VPSS) temporarily halted importing Tra fish and other aquatic products as of January 31, 2014, following their inspection tour of 8 Vietnamese Tra fish processing businesses late last year.
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VASEP Secretary General Truong Dinh Hoe said his association worked closely with the VPSS and relevant Vietnamese agencies to address the issue.
In 2008 Vietnamese Tra fish businesses were also banned from exporting their products to Russia, failing to meet the importer’ food quality standards.
Seafood inspection teams from foreign countries regularly conduct examinations of Vietnamese seafood as a quality control measure prior to shipment abroad.
The present situation results from solely isolated and limited failure of a small number of local exporters to meet requirements of the overseas markets.
At present, Vietnam has laws and regulations in place that detail the requirements for ensuring food hygiene and safety of fish exports and overall, the vast majority of Vietnamese producers and exporters have complied with them.
VASEP statistics show last year Vietnam earned US$100 million from aquatic exports to Russia, making up 1.5% of the country’s total seafood export value.