VietNamNet Bridge - Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has asked relevant agencies to tighten food inspection to reduce the rate of vegetable with pesticide residue.





On December 24, over a month before the Lunar New Year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development met to discuss the measures to control the quality of agricultural products and foodstuffs.

According to the Department of Plant Protection, it collected 400 samples of fresh fruits and vegetables for testing. Sixteen samples were detected with pesticide residue exceeding the permitted level, accounting for 4 percent. The test of nearly 700 samples of pesticides revealed 11 imported samples of poor quality.

The Department’s chief Nguyen Xuan Hong said the percentage of vegetable contaminated with pesticide residue in Vietnam is relatively high compared with other countries. "From now to the lunar New Year, the Department will collect many more samples from wholesale markets for testing, will increase checks and tighten quarantine," Hong said.

According to the Department of Animal Husbandry, the widespread use of banned substances in animal husbandry, aquaculture production makes consumers confused.

Currently, this situation has been closely tightened but the time before the lunar New Year is the sensitive time that the use of banned substances in animal husbandry, aquaculture production may increase. In addition, this is also the time that livestock epidemics can break out due to weather changes and the increase of slaughter and transport of livestock and poultry.

Compiled by Le Ha