Brazil lifts ban on seafood imports from Vietnam Ngoc Hung By Ngoc Hung - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Local firms can now ship seafood back to Brazil after a six-month interruption as the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply (MAPA) has lifted a temporary ban on aquatic products imports from Vietnam. MAPA has written to Vietnam’s National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (Nafiqad) announcing the removal of the ban which was imposed in late September last year due to food hygiene concerns. Nafiqad has advised seafood exporters to contact their Brazilian partners to get legal updates and thus meet the seafood hygiene requirements set by Brazilian authorities. In 2013, Vietnam shipped US$121 million worth of seafood to this South American market and the figure last year was a little bit higher than in the previous year, at US$125 million, despite the ban because shipments in the first nine months of 2014 picked up strongly. … [Read more...] about Brazil lifts ban on seafood imports from Vietnam
Import
EVN told to start talks for long-term power import
By Van Nam - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has asked the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) Group to start talks over a long-term contract to import power from China as well as from other regional countries. In a document issued by the Government’s Office on Tuesday, the Government ordered that EVN buy power from China during 2010-2015 via the 110-kilovolt and 220-kilovolt power lines. EVN was told to report to the Government the progress of negotiations for power purchase by October this year. EVN was also instructed to do a feasibility study for a plan to set up the 500-kilovolt power transmission line connecting Vietnam and China, and submit the feasibility study to the Government no later than next January. In addition, the Government also asked EVN to execute projects that had been approved for building the power link between regional countries as well as to complete procedures for starting work on Duyen Hai 3 Thermoelectric Plant … [Read more...] about EVN told to start talks for long-term power import
Vietnam tightens seafood import standards
Vietnam tightens seafood import standards By Ngoc Hung - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will look into food hygiene and safety standards of countries exporting seafood to Vietnam, said Deputy Minister Luong Le Phuong. Initially, inspections of seafood products from South Korea, China and Canada would be conducted. This is part of the Circular No. 25/2010/TT-BNNPTNT on food hygiene and safety control for imported products of animal origin. The circular, released by the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (Nafiqad), will take effect from Wednesday. “Vietnamese exporters for many years have to follow technical requirements of international importers. So, we have to apply the same standards to protect local consumers and ensure quality of meat products on the market,” Phuong said. The ministry had earlier extended enactment of the circular from July 1 until September 1 due to difficulties on the … [Read more...] about Vietnam tightens seafood import standards
Imports of confectionery decline
Imports of confectionery declineMinh Tam By Minh Tam - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Last year’s value and volume of confectionery and cereal products imported via official channels dropped much from the previous year, which can be attributed to increased domestic production that helped replace imports. According to statistics of the General Department of Customs, the import value in December was over US$33.9 million, up 28.6% from November. The rise was due to a stronger demand for such products in the lead to the Lunar New Year, or Tet. However, the total import of last year was recorded at over US$242 million, dropping by nearly 22% from 2012. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, general director of Citimart supermarket chain, told the Daily that the import prices did not drop, so the lower import value was due to a sharp fall in volume. “In fact, prices increased slightly in terms of the U.S. dollar, but if they are paid in Japanese yen, the prices dropped,” she said. Ngo … [Read more...] about Imports of confectionery decline
VAT refunds okayed for farm produce importers
VAT refunds okayed for farm produce importersMinh Tam By Minh Tam - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC - The Ministry of Finance has allowed agricultural product import enterprises to have a 5% value added tax (VAT) rate refunded when they complete all the procedures for customs clearance. The ministry’s move is to help importers and exporters of agricultural products avoid the problems related to VAT payment and refunding, Nguyen Quoc Toan, deputy head of the import-export tax office under the Customs Department of HCMC, told a recent dialogue with enterprises in HCMC. Toan said after having collected opinions of the ministries of Industry and Trade, and Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance had made a decision to apply a VAT break to unprocessed agricultural products and the raw materials used for animal feed processing, including corn. Representatives of enterprises said at the dialogue that customs agencies at ports had required them to fulfill their duty for a … [Read more...] about VAT refunds okayed for farm produce importers