PRODUCERS Vendors
3.4. Some implications for the value chains in the case of Ha
Noi
An example of an inspection and monitoring scheme of an agriculture value chain (fresh fruit, vegetables and meat) which describes ‘what, who, how and when’ is presented in Annex 8. Pork production is 500 tons per day and supply from other provinces is 100 tons per day. Out of 500 tons produced in Ha Noi, large farms produce around 30% and organized value chains produce 30 tons per day. At the processing level, there are 14 semi-industrial slaughterhouses producing 152 tons per day (24.1%), 93 manual processing slaughterhouses producing 93 tons per day (14.8%) and 2,490 family-run slaughterhouses producing 385 tons per day (61.1%). Distribution is through 103 supermarkets (94.5 tons or 15%), four wholesale markets (17.5 tons or 3%) and 426 retail markets (516.6 tons or 82%). Based on the assessment of the value chains in relation to the institutional infrastructure, some further analysis and recommendations are provided below by sub-sections discussed in this section.
3.4.1. Responsibilities of different
ministries and departments
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MARD: Responsible for pig production, inspection and slaughter; post-harvest handling including processing and wholesale wet markets. It also implements a residue monitoring program (started very recently), development of VietGAP standards and scheme and its implementation.•
MOIT: Responsible for wholesale and retail marketsincluding supermarkets and food stores.
•
MOH: Safety in restaurants and canteens includingVegetable market in action,
it was observed that the use of antibiotics in animal feeds is the norm and in certain cases farmers were using as many as 15 veterinary drugs in the feed. Targets under the National Strategy for Food Safety need to be more outcome-based; however, these are generally in terms of the numbers of units implementing HACCP, irrespective of their effectiveness.
Bag of pig feed as seen on field visit Credit: Stephane Forman/World Bank
3.4.3. Surveillance, inspection and
preventive approaches
With the large number of household farms producing pigs, the 2,490 family-run slaughterhouses processing 61% of pork consumed in the city and the 518 retail markets distributing 82% of the meat, even a single visit a year will require a large workforce. Even then, the quality and safety of pork are not guaranteed. It is, therefore, absolutely essential to look into preventive approaches and risk-based surveillance and inspections with responsibilities shared between ministries and departments.
Although risk-based food control management is being implemented in some areas, it is not being done uniformly across ministries, departments and provinces. It is recommended that a risk-based approach be followed across the board to ensure best utilization of resources and lead to an effective food control system in the country. It may also be useful to synergize private-sector initiative in this area. Currently the focus is more on end-product inspection and testing for ensuring food safety rather than implementing preventive approaches by food business operators. It should
be recognized that end-product testing cannot build safety into a product, nor is it cost-effective. Although VietGAP has been initiated, the numbers seen are very limited. It is important for the government to build in preventive approaches for food safety and use testing to validate the effectiveness of preventive measures put in place by the food businesses.
3.4.4. Available data
As discussed in Section 4 on food safety hazards and health impact, the most prevalent microbiological hazard in pork is Salmonella and a number of studies are quoted in the report. Antibiotic residues and growth promoters are also being used in the pig farms, as evidenced from literature. The data currently available from governmental and research institutions are not harmonized. However, the data are also not scientifically collected, analysed and used for development of standards and other risk management activities. Data linking public health and foodborne illnesses to the food are neither scientifically collected nor coordinated between ministries and departments. There is a need for better data collection including the implementation of national residue and contaminant monitoring programs across the country and use of data in a systematic and planned manner. There is also a need for a focus on hazards and impacts on public health, as well as the development of comprehensive and joint national surveillance programs.
3.4.5. Food safety laboratories
Each ministry has its own network of laboratories with different capacities. The government is now looking at procurement of rapid test kits for testing of products at markets so that immediate results may help to allay the fears of consumers and the government. However, this will require significant testing both in terms of products and parameters to determine their safety. Further, testing should not be used for food control but to confirm that the implemented activities deliver safe food. It is important to implement the National Residue Control Plan and to consolidate the test facilities in both government and private-sector laboratories for better resource utilization and management. The concept of networking of laboratories at national level is needed. There is also need to use the private sector to strengthen the governmental food control activities.
3.4.6. Training
As seen from the analysis, small-scale producers and processors produce 70% of the pork supplies. It is important to train and increase awareness of producers and processors. Training is also needed for government agencies, especially at local levels. Consumers also need awareness on food safety to be able to understand foodborne hazards and risks and demand hygienic and safe products which will then lead to safer production and application of hygienic practices.