Customers buy pork at a supermarket in Hà Nội. The domestic pork price is expected to reduce soon after the Government decided to import 100,000 tonnes of pork this year. — VNA/VNS Photo

 HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will likely import 50,000 tonnes of pork from Russia this year, said Deputy Minister of Agricutlure and Rural Development (MARD) Phùng Đức Tiến during his visit to the northern city of Hải Phòng to inspect the quarantine and customs clearance of pork imports on Tuesday.

Since early this year, Việt Nam has imported about 50,000 tonnes of pork through ports in Hải Phòng, HCM City and Đà Nẵng, mainly from Canada, Brazil, Germany, Poland, the US and Russia.

The increasing import of pork aims to stabilise the domestic price, which has accelerated since last year due to the outbreak of African swine fever on local herds of pigs.

The above imported volume of pork was three times higher than the same period last year and accounted for 50 per cent of the Government’s target of importing 100,000 tonnes of pork in 2020.

Tiến said the import of pork through Hải Phòng Port has been carried out in the shortest time.

“MARD has directed local departments of animal health to process administrative procedures on quarantine and quality control for the import of pork, creating best conditions for the import of pork according to the Prime Minister’s guidelines,” Tiến said.

Việt Nam has approved 24 countries to export meat and poultry products to Việt Nam, of which 19 countries are allowed to export pork and pork products.

The average price of pork imported from these countries to Việt Nam’s ports is about US$2.5 per kilo, equivalent to VNĐ60,000 (US$2.2).

Tiến said the imported pork has met EU standards on quality and a very competitive price on the Vietnamese market. — VNS