HCM CITY — A pilot programme in HCM City that uses technology to control and trace the origin of pork will begin from December 16 instead of December 10 as planned earlier, according to the city Department of Industry and Trade.

Nguyễn Ngọc Hòa, the department’s deputy director, said there have been some problems in the implementation process, including delays in installing machinery and equipment at many places.

But the delay would allow all stakeholders to prepare better, he said.

So far 60 establishments with 1,000 farms have registered to participate. They can supply up to 10,000 pigs a day, meeting the city’s demand for pork.

Eighteen slaughter houses have also registered to join, including five out of the city’s 12, he said.

Bình Điền and Hóc Môn wholesale markets, Bến Thành, An Đông, Hoà Bình and Thái Bình markets and 346 supermarkets, convenient stores and food shops have signed up.

Another change is that the programme would not be carried out simultaneously at both modern and traditional sales channel as planned earlier, he said.

First, it would be piloted at 364 modern outlets, including 33 belonging to Co.opmart and Co.opXtra, 108 to Co.op Food, 91 to SatraFood, 21 to Big C supermarket, and four to Lotte Mart supermarket.

It would later be expanded to traditional markets.

The programme, managed by the Departments of Industry and Trade, and Agriculture and Rural Development, the sub-department of Animal Health and the city’s High Technology Association, will help consumers trace the origin of pork from electronic labels stuck on the meat.  

The labels will contain all information about the pork, including the breeding process, slaughterhouse and markets where it is sold.

Consumers can scan them using their smart phones and an app called Te-food. The project’s portal is www.te-food.com. — VNS