Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development(MARD) plans to hold more unscheduled inspections of food hygiene and safety infood production and trading this year.
Speaking at a conference on food quality, safety and hygiene in theagricultural sector on February 10, MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said thatfood hygiene and safety is still a problem and directly impacts society.
The ministry plans to prioritise supervising the use of agriculturalmaterials, especially pesticides due to the risk of serious environmentalpollution. Any substance containing chemicals that harm people or theenvironment will be banned.
Last year, the ministry banned 300 kinds of pesticides.
In terms of fertilizer, Minister Cuong said it is necessary to promoteswitching from inorganic to organic fertilizer.
Each year, up to 12 millions of tonnes of inorganic fertilizer is used foragriculture, causing pollution and reducing the quality of agricultural products.
The ministry will also focus on improving awareness in society about foodhygiene and safety regulations.
Nguyen Van Viet, chief inspector of the ministry, said that the inspectionteams will keep close watch of drinking water for cattle and chemicals used onshrimps. The teams will also inspect the responsibilities of local authoritiesin managing agricultural materials and food hygiene.
Reports from the ministry showed that last year’s percentage of porkcontaminated with Salbutamol, a banned substance to stimulate growth in animalsthat can affect human health, was 0.44. The percentage of the previous year was1.07 percent.
In the last six months of last year, no samples were found to contain thebanned substance.
The percentage of vegetables containing pesticides was 4.1 percent, a reductionof 3.66 percent compared to the previous year.
Authorised agencies inspected more than 21,360 businesses in agriculture,forestry and aquaculture and found 1,923 businesses to be in violation of thelaw.
According to Nguyen Nhu Tiep, head of the Department of Agriculture, Forestryand Fishery Quality Management, this year, the department aims to reducebiological and chemical residues and antibiotics in the production ofagriculture, meeting requirements for domestic consumption and the exportmarket.
The rate of samples containing pesticides in vegetables and chemical residue inmeat and seafood is expected to be reduced by 10 percent compared to last yearby the end of this year.
The department will also improve food chains to ensure food safety for peoplein all cities and provinces.
So far, 50 cities and provinces have built 444 food chains with safeagricultural, forestry and seafood products with clear origins.
In Hanoi alone, 60 food chains were set up with licences from authorisedagencies. The number in HCM City was 32.
At the conference, Minister Cuong asked localities to tighten controls andenhance the responsibilities of leaders.
He also urged authorities to increase high-tech application on agriculture andfood chain production, encouraging potential enterprises to invest inagricultural production.-VNA
Speaking at a conference on food quality, safety and hygiene in theagricultural sector on February 10, MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said thatfood hygiene and safety is still a problem and directly impacts society.
The ministry plans to prioritise supervising the use of agriculturalmaterials, especially pesticides due to the risk of serious environmentalpollution. Any substance containing chemicals that harm people or theenvironment will be banned.
Last year, the ministry banned 300 kinds of pesticides.
In terms of fertilizer, Minister Cuong said it is necessary to promoteswitching from inorganic to organic fertilizer.
Each year, up to 12 millions of tonnes of inorganic fertilizer is used foragriculture, causing pollution and reducing the quality of agricultural products.
The ministry will also focus on improving awareness in society about foodhygiene and safety regulations.
Nguyen Van Viet, chief inspector of the ministry, said that the inspectionteams will keep close watch of drinking water for cattle and chemicals used onshrimps. The teams will also inspect the responsibilities of local authoritiesin managing agricultural materials and food hygiene.
Reports from the ministry showed that last year’s percentage of porkcontaminated with Salbutamol, a banned substance to stimulate growth in animalsthat can affect human health, was 0.44. The percentage of the previous year was1.07 percent.
In the last six months of last year, no samples were found to contain thebanned substance.
The percentage of vegetables containing pesticides was 4.1 percent, a reductionof 3.66 percent compared to the previous year.
Authorised agencies inspected more than 21,360 businesses in agriculture,forestry and aquaculture and found 1,923 businesses to be in violation of thelaw.
According to Nguyen Nhu Tiep, head of the Department of Agriculture, Forestryand Fishery Quality Management, this year, the department aims to reducebiological and chemical residues and antibiotics in the production ofagriculture, meeting requirements for domestic consumption and the exportmarket.
The rate of samples containing pesticides in vegetables and chemical residue inmeat and seafood is expected to be reduced by 10 percent compared to last yearby the end of this year.
The department will also improve food chains to ensure food safety for peoplein all cities and provinces.
So far, 50 cities and provinces have built 444 food chains with safeagricultural, forestry and seafood products with clear origins.
In Hanoi alone, 60 food chains were set up with licences from authorisedagencies. The number in HCM City was 32.
At the conference, Minister Cuong asked localities to tighten controls andenhance the responsibilities of leaders.
He also urged authorities to increase high-tech application on agriculture andfood chain production, encouraging potential enterprises to invest inagricultural production.-VNA
VNA
