Dong Thap seminar explores ways to help farmers shift to agribusinessSon Nguyen A view of a seminar held in Dong Thap Proviince on June 9 to explore ways to help farmers shift to doing agribusiness - PHOTO: THUY TRIEU HCMC – A seminar taking place today, June 9, in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap dug deep into solutions to help farmers shift to agribusiness for sustainable agricultural development, with several speakers highlighting the urgent need to take the market-based approach, apply science and technology, and promote farmer-business connectivity. In his opening remarks at the seminar jointly organized by Saigon Times Group and Dong Thap Province, Nguyen Van Duong, chairman of the province, asserted the leadership’s strong determination to switch to new agricultural models to maximize benefits for farmers. Reviewing the province’s initial restructuring in agriculture, Duong said farmers in Dong Thap have gradually relinquished their age-old habit … [Read more...] about Dong Thap seminar explores ways to help farmers shift to agribusiness
Product safety recall
Chinese man jailed by Dutch court for smuggling rhino horn
By AFP  April 7, 2018 | 09:07 am GMT+7 South Africa is battling a scourge of rhino poaching fueled by insatiable demand for their horn in Asia. Photo by AFP Demand comes mostly from China and Vietnam, where the horn is coveted as a traditional medicine, an aphrodisiac or as a status symbol. A Dutch court Friday sentenced a Chinese man to a year in jail for smuggling five rhino horns and four other horn objects worth about 500,000 euros ($613,000) in his luggage. The man was caught by customs officials at Schiphol airport in December, as he transited through Amsterdam on his way from South Africa to the eastern Chinese metropolis of Shanghai. "The Amsterdam court has sentenced a 30-year-old man of Chinese nationality to 12 months in prison for smuggling rhino horns and falsifying a visa," the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority said. It recalled that trading in endangered species is banned under the CITES convention prohibiting sales of … [Read more...] about Chinese man jailed by Dutch court for smuggling rhino horn
France decries ‘dysfunction’ in baby milk recall
French President Emmanuel Macron added his voice to calls for those responsible to be punished.Lactalis, one of the world's largest producers of dairy products, in December issued a recall of all products made at its factory in Craon, northwest France, after discovering salmonella bacteria at the site.But several French retailers admitted this week that they had continued to sell the manufacturer's affected products even after the ban."This is a major dysfunction in the withdrawal and recall by the operators who bear the responsibility," French Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert told a news conference.Supermarket chain Carrefour said on Wednesday it had sold 434 boxes of baby milk produced by Lactalis that should have been withdrawn and Systeme-U admitted to selling 384 boxes. Earlier Leclerc said it had sold 984 affected Lactalis products since the recall and Auchan 52.Hypermarket chain Casino, which also owns the Franprix and Geant franchises, was the latest to come forward on … [Read more...] about France decries ‘dysfunction’ in baby milk recall
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 17/12
Customs signs agreement with banks for e-tax payment The General Department of Customs (GDC) on Tuesday signed a co-operation agreement with six commercial banks to implement a 24/7 e-tax payment scheme.The five local banks are Sacombank, VPBank, HDBank, LienvietpostBank, SCB and the foreign bank is Mizuho Bank Ltd. The e-tax payment through the six banks will be implemented from December 15.Speaking at the signing ceremony, GDC’s Deputy General Director Nguyen Duong Thai said the customs sector was required to upgrade its e-payment portal for the purpose of administrative reform.The e-tax payment would facilitate tax payment anywhere, anytime, reduce time and ensure immediate goods clearance. The customs authority will directly support enterprises to make payment documents from the original data and minimise errors in money transfer procedures.This could help shorten time to complete customs procedures for import-export activities to the average level of ASEAN-4 countries … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 17/12
Salmonella contamination: VN recalls French baby milk products
After receiving information that eight nutritional products of Lactalis were at risk of infection, the Food Safety Department requested the company that imports these products to determine the quantity imported by Vietnam and recall the products immediately, Pham Viet Nga, the department’s deputy head, said.The import company was also required to report details of the recall to the ministry every day, she said.Through inspection, the department discovered that eight batches of products susceptible to Salmonella Agona bacteria contamination had been imported into Vietnam.Earlier, the International Network of Food Safety Authorities (INFOSAN) warned that some cases of salmonella infection in infants were detected in France.According to Nga, the department has also notified the customs and State inspection agencies at the border to carry out inspections on these products."Besides the at-risk products, we will also check other products to ensure the safety of consumers,” Nga … [Read more...] about Salmonella contamination: VN recalls French baby milk products
Contaminated Lactalis baby formula warning
The Vietnam Food Administration has received warnings about the contaminated Lactalis imported baby formula by the International Network of Food Safety Authorities. Lactalis baby formula recalled all over the world About 600 baby formula products made since February are being recalled by French firm Lactalis from all over the world after 26 infants aged less than six months in France fell ill with salmonella poisoning.Some of the products have been imported into Vietnam.The Vietnam Food Administration is directing agencies to review and test the salmonella agona levels in those products. Drug-resistant Salmonella agona can cause intestinal infections and food poisoning.The administration asked buyers and sellers to not use Celi Expert and Celi Mama brands. … [Read more...] about Contaminated Lactalis baby formula warning
Vietnam raises warning over French baby milk products amid salmonella scare
Vietnam’s health ministry has issued a directive asking the public to suspend the use or trade of baby milk products from French company Lactalis amid global fears of salmonella contamination. The ministry issued the advice after receiving a warning on Tuesday from the International Food Safety Authorities Network, which is managed by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Food safety officials from the ministry said several of the company's products are in circulation in Vietnam and will be tested. French authorities and Lactalis, the world’s largest dairy products group, have ordered the recall of millions of baby milk products around the world after health authorities in France reported that 26 infants had been sickened since December 1. Salmonella contamination is caused by intestinal bacteria from farm animals. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting, and the illness is dangerous for children and the elderly … [Read more...] about Vietnam raises warning over French baby milk products amid salmonella scare
Market awash with DEHP-tainted products
Market awash with DEHP-tainted productsBy Minh Tam - The SaigonTimes DailyHCMC – The local market is awash with DEHP-tainted products,from home appliances and toys to food containers and medical devices, expertssaid at a conference on the cancer-causing substance in HCMC on Wednesday.Chemical and health experts warned consumers about healthrisks when using DEHP-tainted products at the conference “DEHP and Community Health”held by the HCMC Public Health Society. Chu Pham Ngoc Son, vice chairman of both the HCMC Union ofScience and Technology Associations and the HCMC Public Health Society, saidDEHP is an industrial chemical widely used in PVC with a rate of up to 50% forplasticizing. The plasticizer is used for producing home appliances suchas plastic curtains, plastic doors, rain coats, toys, and medical devices amongothers, he said. In particular, consumers are exposed to greater health riskswhen using food packaging films, as DEHP will draw and contaminate the … [Read more...] about Market awash with DEHP-tainted products
Social News 12/12
New aid package targets flood-hit poor, near-poor familiesThe aid package of nearly 1 million USD committed by the Government of the Republic of Korea (RoK) in early November will be used to assist poor and near-poor Vietnamese families affected by typhoon Damrey to rebuild their houses. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the RoK Embassy in Vietnam and the General Department of Disaster Prevention and Control under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development signed an agreement on the implementation of the aid package in Hanoi on December 12. With the donation, which is channeled via the UNDP, the flood-hit families will be supported in terms of knowledge and necessary resources to repair their houses, making them resistant to upcoming storms and floods. UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra said ensuring residents’ access to safe housing is the core of the rehabilitation work.Tran Quang Hoai, permanent member of the Central … [Read more...] about Social News 12/12
Products recalled from U.S. hit record high
Products recalled from U.S. hit record highBy Thu Nguyet - The SaigonTimes DailyHCMC - The number of Vietnamese children’s product recallshit a record high last year as local exporters violated the U.S. goodssafety regulations, according to a commissioner of the U.S. Consumer ProductSafety Commission (CPSC).Jeffrey G. Hilsgen, director of CPSC Asia-Pacific, saidthere were 18 Vietnamese children’s product lines recalled in the U.S. last year.As of August 4 this year, there had been seven cases compared to an average of8-9 cases in previous years.The major recalled products include beds with unsafecomponents and apparels with drawstrings or high lead content. There were 65such product recalls in the U.S.,among which 47 originated from China,in the period between October 2010 and March 2011.These products have violated the U.S. Consumer ProductSafety Improvement Act, or CPSIA. The regulations took effect from 2008 whenChinese harmful product recalls peaked.CPSIA limits the … [Read more...] about Products recalled from U.S. hit record high