The traceability system has helped 80.5 per cent of fruit shops in the inner districts of Hà Nội use QR codes for traceability.— Photo courtesy of the Hà Nội’s Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Division

HÀ NỘI — The ability to trace produce from the farm to the end consumer is on the rise with www.check.gov.vn reporting almost 10,000 sets of codes that can be used to trace a piece of produce’s origin.

Nguyễn Thị Thu Hằng, head of Hà Nội’s Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Division, said the system had given accounts to 766 fruit shops and 2,854 local producers, including co-operatives, processing and packaging firms, and forestry and aquatic product producers so far.

Phạm Thị Lý, director of Tiên Dương Organic Agriculture Co-operative, based in Đông Anh District, is a part of the programme.

Lý said the co-operative started a model of organic agricultural production in 2017.

As part of their model, all farm produce is monitored strictly from planting and tending to preliminarily processing and packaging, she said.

All farm produce produced at the co-operative is stamped with a QR code after being harvested and packaged. This helps customers easily identify the origin and quality with a smartphone and internet connection, she added.

The implementation and development of the tracing systems for farm produce and food in Việt Nam has met with some difficulties with well established production, processing and packaging businesses as well as consumers.

Farm produce and aquatic products sold in traditional markets and stores are often taken from wholesale markets where management boards fail to inspect and ensure the compliance with regulations. This includes food safety and tracking the origin of products sold in the markets.

Chu Phú Mỹ, director of the Hà Nội’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (HARDD) said the city’s agricultural sector has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to promulgate national standards and regulations on product tracing. 

HAARD is also pushing for the use of QR codes across the board and for their integration into the national product-origin tracing system.

HAARD would continue to work with relevant agencies to develop the tracing system and aims to finish the integration into the national product and goods tracing portal by 2025, he said.

The sector has requested the city administration create more mechanisms to support local producers to adopt the product tracing system. — VNS