Vinarice’s rice processing plant. Vinarice has received FSSC22000 certification from the UK’s Bureau Veritas after a strict and rigorous assessment process. — Photo courtesy of The PAN Group

HCM CITY — Vietnam Rice Company Limited (Vinarice) of Vinaseed – a member of The PAN Group, has obtained the certificate of food safety management systems (FSSC 22000) for processing, packaging and distribution by Bureau Veritas – the UK's leading independent organisation for certification.

This certification will help Vietnamese rice products to the EU as one of the most comprehensive food safety standards established based on a combination of two certificates ISO 22000 and PAS 220.

From the beginning of Vinarice's establishment, Vinaseed chose the FSSC22000 management systems to follow, invested in modern facilities and applied Japanese technologies. Only less than eight months into operation, Vinarice has received FSSC22000 certification after a strict and rigorous assessment process. This has a special meaning in the context of the EU – Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which officially took effect from August 1.

According to the agreement, the EU will give Việt Nam an export quota of 80,000 tonnes of rice per year with a tariff of 0 per cent.

In July, Vinaseed exported VJ Pearl Rice and RVT fragrant rice to Netherlands and Czech Republic at a price of US$1,040 per tonne. This week, the company will export Ban Mai white rice and Phúc Thọ brown rice to Australia.

These are the first Vietnamese branded rice products which have imported officially to the European market. The high-quality products are used Vietnamese rice varieties, grown, harvested and processed in Việt Nam, meeting all strict standards and conditions covering from raw material development to final product quality control.

Nguyễn Quang Trường, CEO of Vinaseed, said: “Vinaseed has been prepared since the EVFTA was under discussion. It developed sustainable agricultural production areas according to VietGAP standards."

In 2019, Vinaseed's total export volume to the EU market reached 2,000 tonnes for a value of $2 million. The PAN Group member company aims to double its exports to about 5,000 tonnes in 2020 when new tariffs of zero per cent will make its products become more competitive, Trường added. — VNS