Troubled pig farming seeks solution in exports

At an urgent meeting held recently to deal with the difficulties facing the pig farming sector as a result of a supply glut and plunging prices, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung emphasized that promoting exports is an important solution.  

Vietnam Feed Association President Le Ba Lich said that ASEAN, Japan and China have very high demand for pork imports, and Vietnam should promote pork exports to these markets, especially frozen pork to ensure food safety.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), along with exporting pigs via border trade channels to China, Vietnam also exports suckling pigs to Malaysia and Hong Kong (China). Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said the MoIT has raised the issue of pork exports many times when negotiating free trade agreements. Countries with a demand for pork imports required Vietnam to have a good animal quarantine system to ensure food safety of export products.

The MoIT and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will work with the Chinese side to promote pork exports via official trade channels to this market. The MARD will send a delegation to ASEAN countries to promote food exports, including pork, to these markets.

ABC Global Joint Stock Company General Director Ngo Trung Thanh said that a lack of slaughtering facilities which can keep meat refrigerated at temperatures below minus 18 degrees, is a major hindrance for Vietnamese pork exports.

According to Vo Van Quyen, Director of the MoIT’s Domestic Market Department, the ministry is intensifying negotiations to promote pork exports to Singapore and Malaysia, apart from China.

From the business point of view, Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of the CP Vietnam Corporation, said that along with seeking new export markets, the corporation is promoting deep processing and will hire more refrigeration facilities to boost exports. Pham Van Hoc, Deputy General Director of the Dabaco Group Joint Stock Company, said the company would apply modern techniques to enhance productivity and improve the quality of sows, and build a slaughtering facility to meet the requirements of both domestic and export markets.

Vo Van Quyen, Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Domestic Market Department:

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will maintain tight coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to accelerate the signing of memorandums of understanding on animal quarantine recognition between Vietnam and partner countries in order to export pork via official trade channels.