Now that there's a way to "escape" China, Vietnamese agricultural products shouldn't just "skim the cream off the surface."

If five violations of food safety and plant quarantine regulations are detected within a year, the EU will issue an import ban on Vietnamese fruits and vegetables.

The European Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) issued an ultimatum warning against Vietnamese fruit exports.

Challenges for Vietnamese agricultural products

The European Market Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced that since February 1, 2014, the Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) of the European Commission has been notified three times consecutively by EU member states about three shipments imported from Vietnam to the EU that were found to contain harmful bacteria, prohibited for consumption, in basil and bitter melon.

In the near future, Vietnam could export approximately 600 tons of lychees to the United States annually.

This occurred after DG SANCO had previously announced that if five violations of food safety and plant quarantine regulations were detected within one year, from February 1, 2014 to February 1, 2015, the EU would issue an import ban on Vietnamese fruits and vegetables.

"If this ban occurs, it will not only lead to the inability of Vietnamese vegetables, fruits, and goods to be exported to EU countries, but the reputation of Vietnamese agricultural products and goods in the international market will also be seriously affected," warned the European Market Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Meanwhile, the US has also recently accepted labels and fabrics imported into its market, subject to strict and binding standards.

What should Vietnam do?

In a conversation with us, Professor Vo Tong Xuan stated: "The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with its management responsibilities, must strictly control shipments, conduct rigorous quality checks, and prevent the negative reputation of Vietnamese goods, as this could lead to the loss of business opportunities."

According to Professor Vo Tong Xuan, it's not by chance that the US Department of Agriculture has approved two more fruits, longan and lychee, for its market after rambutan and dragon fruit. This means these products have met the quality and food safety requirements. Initially, it is projected that Vietnam could export approximately 600 tons of lychee and 1200 tons of longan to the US annually.

However, this is not a simple story that can be told once and then forgotten; it always requires long-term effort, assurance, and a step-by-step, correct process throughout the product's lifecycle.

"The opportunity to expand export markets has arrived, but just one moment of complacency, a relaxation of inspection, supervision, and reminders to farmers will only create difficulties for ourselves," Professor Xuan said.

Unlike typical markets, the US imposes very harsh sanctions if something goes wrong. Professor Vo Tong Xuan recounted an incident where a company exporting fish to the US market was forced to pay to destroy the entire shipment simply because the fish smelled bad.

"After our company pleaded with them to let us pay the fine and bring the goods back to the country, they agreed. But if we had to pay for the destruction of the entire shipment, the cost would have been much higher," Professor Xuan said.

"Therefore, if we want to retain our market share, there's no other way than to continue following the procedures they require and the conditions they've imposed on us, rather than resorting to shortcuts," Professor Xuan warned.

Furthermore, he noted that to prevent price undercutting by businesses, the regulatory body should establish an association to oversee and regulate prices according to corresponding quality levels. Businesses should be encouraged to cooperate. The Ministry of Industry and Trade must also closely monitor prices from the outset to ensure proper price control.

"Clearly assigning responsibility is necessary so that Vietnamese agricultural products can gradually build brands that can compete not only in international markets but also in the fiercely competitive domestic market. More importantly, it must be done systematically and properly to avoid situations where businesses 'skim the cream' when profits are high, while farmers bear the brunt of the difficulties. The lesson from the rice crop is still relevant!" Professor Xuan suggested.

According to vtc.vn