Nghe An strengthens inspection and elimination of 'dirty', poor quality food
(Baonghean.vn) - In recent years, thanks to the efforts of the authorities, people's awareness of food safety (FSS) has had remarkable changes. Nghe An Newspaper interviewed Mr. Nguyen Van Ha - Head of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Product Quality Management (NLTS) about this content.
Many solutions for quality management of agriculture, forestry and fishery products
PV:Sir, can you share about Nghe An's difficulties in managing the quality of agricultural materials and food safety in the agricultural sector?
Mr. Nguyen Van Ha:Although awareness and compliance of businesses and owners of production and business establishments are increasingly improved, consumers are increasingly knowledgeable and interested in clean food, we still face many challenges.
Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the inspection and management of production and business establishments are very difficult. Nghe An has a large area with many mountainous districts, highlands and remote areas; agricultural products are diverse but production is mainly fragmented and manual, not paying attention to image, design, product brand as well as developing consumption markets; products produced according to the safe food supply chain are still few.
Meanwhile, many consumers still have the habit of buying food in the wrong places, because they are greedy for cheap prices. Means, tools and equipment for managing the quality of agricultural materials and food safety are still limited.
 |
| Checking the promotion and introduction of Nam Dan soy sauce products. Photo: PV |
PV:Faced with these difficulties, what solutions have the agricultural sector in general and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Product Quality Management had, sir?
In particular, in 2020, a conference was held to connect the consumption of safe agricultural products with the participation of major supermarkets such as MM Mega Maket, Big C, Vinmart, Maximax, convenient food chains and many units producing and processing safe agricultural products. Communication activities with focused and key content and forms of propaganda have achieved positive results, contributing to raising awareness and consciousness of producers and traders as well as understanding and trust of consumers in choosing and consuming clean products.
In addition, the department also strengthens the supervision of the quality of agricultural materials, food safety of agricultural products; supervises, inspects, checks and handles violations; especially during "peak" periods such as Lunar New Year, the launching of "Month of action for food safety", and Mid-Autumn Festival. Every year, we conduct assessments and issue certificates of qualified food safety facilities to hundreds of qualified production and business establishments; test food safety knowledge for owners and employees who need to be granted certificates...
To do a good job of quality management and food safety in the agricultural sector, the Department determined that it must do well right from the initial production stage, producing according to the safe food supply chain; building a project to develop a safe agricultural, forestry and fishery food supply chain in Nghe An province for the period 2021-2025. At the same time, focus on building safe production models according to VietGAP standards; direct the construction and certification of safe agricultural and aquatic food supply chains.
Processing and trade promotion activities are also given attention, by organizing conferences to connect the consumption of safe agricultural products, participating in trade promotion, promoting quality products, and approved products.OCOP certificationin many provinces and cities across the country. Organize inspections of policy implementation, implementation of planning of raw material areas; machinery and equipment as well as processing environment at NLTS processing facilities...
 |
| Processing and trade promotion activities for OCOP products are of interest. Photo courtesy |
PV:Besides the achieved results, what are the shortcomings in food safety quality management, sir?
Mr. Nguyen Van Ha:The situation of dirty, poor quality food of unknown origin is still widespread. The number of production facilities and the volume of initial production products account for a large proportion, while the use of pesticides is still widespread, leading to the control of initial production products not being guaranteed.
Production and business in the supply chain of safe products have not received attention; production linkages are still limited; good agricultural production models mainly rely on State support, and when the support ends, it is difficult to maintain. Post-harvest processing and preservation of products have not developed, the consumption market is unstable, so food safety control is very difficult.
Meanwhile, in localities, especially at the commune level, this work has not really received attention. In particular, inspection and handling of administrative violations in the field of food safety at the commune level is not enough to deter, while the initial production facilities are mainly decentralized to the commune for management. The staff doing this work is both lacking and limited in professional skills.
 |
| Mr. Nguyen Van Ha checks the consumption of clean agricultural products at agricultural stores. Photo: PH |
PV:So in the coming time, what key tasks will we focus on so that the quality management of NLTS can meet practical requirements?
Mr. Nguyen Van Ha:We will continue to review and improve local legal policies, standards and technical regulations on agricultural material quality management, ensuring food safety in accordance with new State regulations and creating a favorable environment for people and businesses to invest in production, business, and link high-quality agricultural product value chains, ensuring food safety; step up the review and elimination of agricultural materials that do not meet quality and safety standards.
Expanding centralized production organization associated with the application of high technology, organic agriculture and advanced quality management systems; increasing investment in improving food safety and hygiene conditions in slaughtering, preliminary processing, preservation, and sale of fresh agricultural and aquatic products. In addition, guiding and supporting businesses to invest in agriculture; orienting production to focus on deep processing, building brands, designs, product origins and effectively implementing the Project on Developing a safe agricultural and aquatic food supply chain in Nghe An province for the period 2021-2025.
In addition to strengthening information and propaganda to encourage production and business establishments to comply with food safety laws, we will focus on guiding and supporting localities in organizing forces for food quality management, food safety, processing and market development to meet the requirements of the new situation. In 2021, the target of granting certificates of qualified food safety establishments will reach 85%; organizing 75% of establishments to sign commitments, especially announcing on mass media so that people know and monitor especially establishments classified as C...
PV:Thank you!
