30% of wheat imported to Vietnam is infected with thistle

Recently, the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) announced that from November 1, 2018, batches of plant quarantine objects infected with Cirsium Arvense (thistle) will be subject to re-export. This information has caused many whole wheat importers to say that they are "in trouble".

Head of Plant Quarantine Department, Plant Protection Department Le Son Ha affirmed that preventing the risk of thistle entering Vietnam is necessary.

Thistle can cause serious damage to crops such as corn, beans, squash, pumpkin, potatoes...

- Could you please tell us what is the basis for the Plant Protection Department to issue a notice requesting re-export of the shipment if it is found to be contaminated with thistle?

- Thistle can cause serious damage to nearly 30 types of crops such as corn, beans, squash, pumpkin, potatoes... and has now invaded pastures in 40 countries. In terms of the environment, when this grass has established a population, it will quickly spread and encroach on native plants. More worryingly, this grass has thorny characteristics so livestock cannot eat it; the grass roots grow up to 3m deep in the soil, the radius of influence is up to 6m, the height after 3 months can reach 1.2 - 1.5m. Each plant can produce 5,000 very small grass seeds, easily spread by wind or through insects, birds, livestock... Therefore, many countries such as Korea, Brazil, Australia... classify this grass as a plant quarantine subject that must be strictly controlled.

In Vietnam, this grass has been on the list of plants subject to plant quarantine since 2005. In 2014, when the list of harmful plants required to be quarantined when entering Vietnam was added, the Plant Protection Department asked for opinions from scientists and state management agencies. Therefore, the announcement requiring businesses not to import wheat infected with thistle is not a new issue.

- So who will have to make this announcement?

- The subject of application is on all types of imported agricultural products if detected to be infected with thistle. However, the most direct impact will be on enterprises importing wheat. Each year, Vietnam imports about 4 to 5 million tons of wheat. Specifically, in the first 9 months of 2018, more than 4 million tons were imported. What is worrying is that from May 2018 to now, regional plant quarantine departments have detected 1.6 million tons of wheat infected with thistle. This number accounts for more than 30% of the wheat imported to Vietnam.

Immediately after discovering the shipments contaminated with thistle, we notified the wheat importers. Thus, the Plant Protection Department has complied with the regulations in Clauses 1, 2 and 3, Article 34 of the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine.

If thistle is allowed to invade Vietnam, it will affect millions of farmers and forestry workers.

- Does the requirement to re-export wheat shipments contaminated with thistle affect production, business and business interests?