US to consider Vietnamese Tra fish case

The Washington Post reports that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will consider whether or not to list Vietnam’s Tra and Basa fish as catfish under the 2008 farm bill. The report has aroused concern amongst Vietnamese seafood exporters.

Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of the Vietnam Seafood Processors and Exporters (VASEP) gave an insight into the case in an interview granted to VOV.

Could you give us some further information about this issue?

We have not received any information from the USDA yet. Under the 2008 farm bill, Vietnamese Tra and Basa fish could be included in the US’s catfish group. In other words, the quality of Tra and Basa fish will be controlled by the USDA instead of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The definition of Vietnamese Tra and Basa fish should have been made public in July 2009. However, the timing was delayed by the actions of certain senators and the media.

The US Office of Management and Budget’s recent decision to extend its review of the rules on catfish food safety inspections proposed by the USDA showed that legislators are considering the application of these rules, and other related issues rather than food safety.

What would be the biggest concern if Vietnamese Tra and Basa fish are defined as catfish?

It’s said that food safety and hygiene is one of the reasons the USDA will replace the FDA to control catfish imports. In fact, no human deaths have been linked to Tra fish imports from Vietnam. So, we think this is not really the main reason the USDA will increase inspections of Tra fish imports.

Currently, Vietnamese Tra fish sales are increasing significantly in the US. In 2008 for example, Americans on average consumed 0.26 pounds of Tra fish. This means US consumers have already placed their trust in this imported fish species.

The change in the management of the imported fish (from the FDA to the USDA) creates a fairly complex control system that will eventually cause difficulties for the export of Vietnamese Tra fish to the US, as well as both sides’ efforts to increase bilateral trade.

We reconfirm that Vietnam has not dumped its Tra and Basa fish on the US market, and that it always supplies the highest quality products not only to the US but also to other markets.

What will happen if our Tra and Basa fish are not exported to the US due to USDA rules?

Last year, Vietnam exported 600,000 tonnes of Tra fish around the world, including 41,000 tonnes to the US, or just 7 percent of the total. Though it is a small figure, loss of these sales could have a big impact on the reputation of Vietnamese exports. Vietnam views the US as a prime market, and we are making every effort to persuade the government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, as well as the government and the Department of Agriculture of the US, to leave the export of this fish as it is.

In a nutshell, quality and food safety are the main issues to address to boost our seafood exports. What are your recommendations to aquatic farmers and processors?

The government has set a target of raising 1.5 million tonnes of Tra fish in the Mekong Delta and earning US$1.5 billion from Tra exports this year. We are taking great pains to make sure our Tra fish is recognised as a safe, quality product. Processors and farmers should pay closer attention to the quality and safety of their products.

Tags: Vietnam Seafood, Vietnam seafood exports, Vietnamese Tra fish