Shrimp processed at Minh Phú Seafood Corporation in Hậu Giang Province. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the number of HS codes subjected to quarantine checks will be reduced to create favourable conditions for exports. — VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said it would create favourable conditions for firms to promote exports of agricultural products by reducing the number of product categories subject to quarantine inspection as well as applying technology to speed up the customs clearance process.

Deputy Minister Nguyễn Hoàng Hiệp said there were still problems in the certification of quarantine inspections of plants and agricultural products for export and import, even though the number of harmonised system (HS) codes which were subject to checks was reduced to 157 from 300.

Further efforts would be made to reduce the number of HS codes of plant and agricultural products subjected to quarantine checks, Hiệp said, adding that the time for inspections to be carried out must also be cut by using advanced technology to aid businesses.

In international practice, fresh products are subject to quarantine inspection while processed products are subject to food safety checks.

Currently, international practices are applied for plant products while animal products still have to undergo quarantine inspection for both fresh and processed products.

Hiệp said the ministry asked the Department of Animal Health to review the process for the application of international practices to ensure that products are safe and enterprises have the best environment to operate in.

Nguyễn Hoài Nam, Deputy General Secretary of the Việt Nam Seafood Exporters and Producers, said seafood companies wished to receive support from the Government to remove the European Commission’s 'yellow card' as soon as possible.

According to Nguyễn Thanh Sơn, President of the Animal Husbandry Association of Việt Nam, many instructions to implement the Law on Husbandry, which took effect from the beginning of 2020, must be clarified. Sơn said several standards were not appropriate to reality, which wasted time and increased costs for enterprises.

Trần Quang Trung, President of the Việt Nam Dairy Association, urged the ministry to consider removing the regulation on quarantine checks on imported processed dairy products.

Vũ Thị Mai Hiên, Deputy Director of the ministry’s Legal Department, said some regulations about certification for enterprises were being reviewed.

According to Hiệp, the ministry would also enhance the administrative reforms and improve the attitude of civil servants to create favourable conditions for enterprises. — VNS