NAFIQAD and Fisheries Administration of Vietnam Visited Russi
The National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Fisheries Administration of Vietnam visited Russia.
The Vietnamese delegation, headed by Nguen Nhu Tiep, Head of the NAFIQAD, visited the Rosselkhoznadzor subordinate “Federal Centre for Animal Health” and All-Russian State Center for Quality and Standartization of Veterinary Drugs and Feed. The delegation also held negotiations with Yevgeny Nepoklonov, Rosselkhoznadzor Deputy Head.
During the negotiations the Russian party expressed its concern over safety problems as for plant and animal products (including fish products) imported from Vietnam into the Russia. The Vietnamese party assured the Rosselkhoznadzor of its intention to eliminate such problems and submitted materials on corrective measures taken following the inspection of the Vietnamese fish-processing plants performed by the Customs Union officials in December, 2013. Herewith, NAFIQAD asked the Rosselkhoznadzor to consider the possibility of lifting temporary restrictions on pangasius importation from Vietnam into Russia.
The Rosselkhoznadzor will make a decision on this issue as soon as the submitted materials are analyzed and following the repeated inspection of the Vietnamese fish processing plants by the CU officials, if necessary. In order to provide additional guarantees on fish safety and to prevent its adulteration the parties agreed on practicability of integrated electronic system for product certification and traceability.
The parties discussed the perspective of research cooperation and exchange of experts as well as of joint research programs in the field of terrestrial animal disease prevention and control. The Vietnamese party highly appreciated the Rosselkhoznadzor’s experience in epidemiological monitoring along with predictions of situation development and introduction of anti-epidemic measures. The parties reached the agreement on the exchange of experts in the field of epidemic control, organization of missions for epidemic monitoring and pathological material collection with further joint development of up-to-date diagnostic kits and vaccines. In addition, the Vietnamese delegation mentioned high level of food safety control implemented by the Rosselkhoznadzor.
The parties also discussed the possibility of exchange of experts for improvement of methods of control of dangerous and harmful substances in food products. The Vietnamese party submitted to the Rosselkhoznadzor a draft bilateral agreement on veterinary and sanitary control measures taken during mutual deliveries of animal products. In the nearest future the Rosselkhoznadzor will examine this document and send its proposals to NAFIQAD.