Major cities required to improve food safety standards
Major cities required to improve food safety standards
The people's committees of Ha Noi, HCM City and other large cities have been instructed to pilot higher standards and technical regulations for food safety. 
The move is part of the Prime Minister's Directive 17/CT-TTg issued on Monday to continue strengthening State management of food safety.
The people's committees must also strengthen the management of food safety in trade villages, local markets and wholesale markets that sell agricultural products.
Meanwhile, centrally-run provinces and cities are requested to develop safe food production areas or chains and safe food distribution systems, and promote the application of quality management processes.
The Prime Minister has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to develop a safe food distribution system and manage food markets. The MoIT also needs to strengthen market management and prevent smuggling, trade fraud, fake goods and the trade of food with unclear origins.
The MoIT must also strictly manage multi-level business and e-commerce activities for food products, especially supplements and nutrition products.
The Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Health to continue studying and perfecting food safety management regulations in accordance with international practices.
The ministry must also enhance inspections and handling of violations regarding the advertising of supplement products and food additives, while boosting inspections of food safety management in centrally-run provinces and cities.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will direct localities to promote the development of safe farm produce regions, food production and trade chains, and wholesale markets.
The ministry must strengthen the management of plant protection drugs, veterinary drugs, fertilizers, animal feeds and slaughter of cattle and small poultry.
Viet Nam had made progress in controlling food safety in recent years, according to the directive. However, there were still many challenges left to ensuring food safety because the country mainly relied on small-scale food production.
To improve the efficiency of food safety management, the Prime Minister has requested ministries, ministerial-level agencies and people's committees to take responsibility for food safety while strengthening inspections and handling of food safety violations.
At the same time, they must promote administrative reforms and IT applications to create favourable conditions for food production and trade enterprises to implement those administrative procedures.
