Laws of Vietnam

Article 1.- To approve the program on development of aquatic product export up to 2010 and orientations to 2020 with the following principal contents:

1. Overall objectives

On the basis of the industrialization and modernization of the fisheries sector, to raise the competitiveness and increase the export of aquatic products in an effective and sustainable manner so that these products attain a high position in the international market. To continue restructuring export in the direction of increasing commodities with high added value and gradually reducing raw products. Aquatic product export serves as an objective and also a motive force for promoting economic restructuring among agricultural sectors, boosting aquaculture and effectively exploiting aquatic products, contributing to improving the life of people in coastal and island rural areas.

2. Specific objectives up to 2010

- To strive to increase aquatic-product export turnover by 9%/year on average;

- By 2010, the export turnover will reach USD 4-4.5 billion.

3. Orientations to 2020

To develop fisheries into a leading industry in the process of agricultural and rural industrialization and modernization; to strive for the target that by 2020, aquatic product-processing technologies will reach the same level as those of developed countries, maintaining fisheries as a spearhead and major exporting industry of the country.

II. TASKS

1. Production of aquatic products to supply materials for export

By 2010, to export over 900,000 tons of aquatic products, including 225,000 tons of shrimp products, 230,000 tons of tra catfish and Basa bocourti products, 75,000 tons of cuttle-fish and octopus products, 160,000 tons of sea fish products, and 40,000 tons of bi-valve mollusk products.

2. Markets

- To maintain and develop aquatic-product export markets. To step up the export of aquatic products into large markets, especially the Chinese market and potential markets; at the same time, to take the initiative in expanding export markets in order to make timely adjustments in case of market fluctuations;

- To strive to stabilize market shares in major export markets such as Japan: 25%; the United States: around 23-25% in the immediate future and over 30% by 2010 and subsequent years; EU: 20-22%; China and Hong Kong: 7-9%; and the Republic of Korea: around 8%.

3. To further renew and improve the processing capacity in the direction of industrialization, modernization and in-depth investment in order to increase export turnover

- To strive for the target that by 2010, 100% of aquatic product-processing enterprises will satisfy branch standards on aquatic food hygiene and safety; at the same time, to increase the refrigerating capacity by 250 tons/day to attain the export objectives;

- To boost the production of added value products and mixedly processed products with a high technological content so that they will represent 65-70% of the total of exported aquatic products by 2010.

1. Market-related solutions

a/ To concentrate on formulating and implementing strategies for developing markets, especially key markets, in association with building and advertising national brands of such major products as shrimp, tra catfish, Basa bocourti and tuna;

b/ To step by step build overseas networks for distributing Vietnamese aquatic products in order to take the initiative in supplying goods in large markets. To build business and cooperation links with large distributors, supermarkets and food service organizations in different markets;

c/ To seek new ways for market development in the direction of professionalization, diversification and expansion of trade promotion forms;

d/ To raise the international-law knowledge of trade officials and enterprises for international economic integration, taking the initiative in coping with trade disputes or dealing with barriers established by importing countries through protectionist policies.

2. Materials-related solutions

a/ To attach importance to reorganizing production, especially reorganizing concentrated aquaculture areas, with the participation of scientists and managers to create large quantities of commodities with controlled quality and satisfying safety and hygiene standards. In the exploitation of aquatic products, to reorganize on-the-sea production activities of cooperative teams or groups with the use of logistic service ships, to raise production efficiency and product quality, and increase the ratio of processed products for export;

b/ To elaborate and well implement programs on development of key products and new products with market potential;

c/ To apply advanced preservation technologies in parallel with establishing systems of fishing ports and marketplaces in order to minimize post-harvest losses; and, at the same time, to reorganize systems of major fish markets, promote their advantages and limit their disadvantages so as to step by step manage well the materials market;

d/ To increase the import of diverse materials with an appropriate structure in service of processing products for re-export to meet the product requirements of markets and overcome the dependence on the domestic seasonal supply of materials.

3. Solutions related to aquatic product processing

a/ To continue improving production conditions and apply food hygiene and safety management systems such as HACCP, GMP, SSOP, etc., ensuring that 100% of export-processing enterprises satisfy branch standards on food hygiene and safety;

b/ To further make in-depth investment in renewing technologies and equipment, mechanizing and automating processing chains. To attract foreign investment in the processing industry in order to reach the world's modern processing standards;

c/ To step up the research, development and renewal of products in enterprises. To increase types and volumes of processed aquatic commodities with added value, mixedly processed commodities and instant food so that added-value products will account for 60-65% of exported aquatic products.

4. Food safety and hygiene

a/ To enhance food hygiene and safety communication and education in communities, especially among materials producers and suppliers;

b/ To perfect the system of food hygiene and safety monitoring and testing organizations from the central to local levels and strengthen their capacity. To step up the socialization of food quality, hygiene and safety assurance activities and involve the entire community in these activities. To improve the testing capacity up to international standards and to enhance international cooperation on food hygiene and safety;

c/ To establish and apply a product traceability system. In the immediate future, to encode aquaculture areas, creating a premise for traceability. To support processing enterprises in improving their capacity to control and find out antibiotic chemical residues in materials, and in applying different product traceability systems;

d/ To enhance inter-branch activities in food hygiene and safety assurance. To maintain activities of controlling residues of toxic and hazardous substances in aquatic resources and products of cultured aquatic animals and controlling hygiene and safety in bi-valve mollusk harvest areas. To enhance the prevention of and combat against the inclusion of impurities in aquatic materials.

5. Science and technology, fisheries extension, and training

a/ To establish and apply a system of quality standards to all stages, from aquaculture in ponds to the processing of products for export. To perfect models of safe and environmentally friendly aquaculture according to GAP and CoC. To disseminate and apply nationwide GAP or international-standard management systems, striving for the target that by 2010, at least 50% of concentrated aquaculture areas will apply those systems;

b/ To create a breakthrough in research and application of high-quality and disease-resistant breeding technologies. To prioritize the import of technologies to create high-value aquatic breeds and increase aquatic products for export. To enhance research and guidance for the application of new technologies to aquatic product processing;

c/ To diversify, through fishery extension, forms of transmitting information on and disseminating knowledge of aquaculture and aquatic resource exploitation, preservation and processing technologies as well as basic techniques of handling and preserving aquatic products to shipowners and fishermen directly involved in offshore exploitation and owners of major fish markets so that they can take measures to ensure food hygiene and safety;

d/ To diversify forms of domestic and overseas training for managers, researchers and marketing personnel to become proficient and knowledgeable of foreign and international laws and economic and trade policies and good at aquatic product business in the international market; and, at the same time, to pay attention to training technical and vocational workers to meet the sector's increasing requirements.

6. Mechanism and policy solutions

a/ The State shall adopt policies to encourage and mobilize domestic economic sectors and foreign investors to concentrate investment capital on the construction of large fishing centers, including aquatic-product processing centers in key provinces; to invest in fish marketplaces in key fishing areas and localities and the Vietnam-China border marketplaces and in modernizing the fishing information system;

b/ Annual state budget funds shall be allocated to support the control of aquatic product hygiene and safety for the protection of consumer health; trade promotion for Vietnamese aquatic products (brand building, protection registration, advertisement of trademarks of main aquatic products, marketing training); establishment and operation of major trade promotion organizations in key markets; launch of communication and advertisement campaigns for Vietnamese aquatic products; and other trade promotion activities in the common interests of the sector;

c/ To encourage different economic sectors to invest in, and mobilize resources for, the production of aquatic materials and the processing of aquatic products.

1. Concerned ministries and branches

a/ The Ministry of Fisheries shall:

- Coordinate with ministries, branches, localities, societies and associations in implementing the program;

- Guide and direct localities to develop aquaculture, exploitation and processing activities in accordance with the approved master plan on fishery development and the planning of each specific domain;

- Supply information on, forecast, monitor, update and assess the implementation of the program; synthesize, report on, and propose necessary mechanisms and policies to accelerate, the implementation of the program;

- Further step up the reorganization and renewal of state enterprises and basically complete the reorganization and renewal of state enterprises that process and export aquatic products.

b/ Concerned ministries and branches:

- The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the State Bank shall apportion and arrange state budget funds and study mechanisms and policies to create conditions for the Ministry of Fisheries and localities to apply solutions related to financial, credit and investment mechanisms and policies, ensuring the smooth and effective implementation of the program;

- Concerned ministries and branches shall, according to their respective functions and tasks, closely coordinate with the Ministry of Fisheries in applying other relevant solutions under the program.

2. Provincial/municipal People's Committees shall:

- Direct local functional agencies in elaborating and implementing local programs on the basis of this program's objectives and tasks;

- Guide organizations and individuals to invest in aquaculture development in accordance with branch and local plannings;

- Direct local functional agencies in guiding and inspecting production and business establishments in the observance of the law on quality control and hygiene and safety of food in general and of aquatic products in particular.

Article 2.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in "CONG BAO."

Article 3.- Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and presidents of provincial/municipal People's Committees shall implement this Decision.