Due to the pandemic, the quarantine agency recommends that enterprises check at the port, for large shipments that must be brought to a separate warehouse outside of Ho Chi Minh City, this unit will perform checks online.

Processing seafood for export at Binh Dinh Seafood Company. Photo: T.H

Proposing a mechanism for quarantine exemption, reduction

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, during the peak week affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City and some provinces in the Mekong Delta, many batches of seafood materials imported to Vietnam have been stuck at ports, while businesses have a shortage of raw materials for production.

According to enterprises, due to the difficulties in the fight against the pandemic, the Veterinary Agency of Region VI only accepts quarantine of seafood consignments at the port. If businesses bring goods to their own warehouse for preservation (as prescribed so far), they must wait until the end of the Covid-19 pandemic before the veterinary staff can quarantine the goods.

The above regulations are very difficult for the production and business of seafood enterprises. While it is very difficult and expensive to leave goods at the port waiting for quarantine, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, the circulation of goods between localities is also impacted.

To remove difficulties for businesses, according to Mr. Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, on July 16, 2021 the association as well as seafood businesses have report to the leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Animal Health to consider a plan to support the maintenance of production and business, circulation of goods and raw materials for production and business in the current context.

In the immediate future, there should be a temporary decision on the mechanism of quarantine exemption and reduction for imported goods based on the risk management principles and compliance schedule of the enterprise.

It is extremely meaningful to have appropriate management plans to support people and businesses to continue to be productive in the current period.

The proposal is also based on the regulations on the principle of specialized inspection for exported, imported and transited goods, which is "facilitating import, export and transit activities" and the responsibilities of specialized inspection agencies for "non-discrimination in specialized inspection activities" are specified in Clause 1, Article 21 of Decree 85/2019/ND-CP dated November 14, 2019.

In which, “Article 21. Principles of specialized inspection for exported, imported and transited goods stipulates: Applying the principles of risk management, assessing the organization's level of compliance with specialized laws, individuals to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of state management and facilitate export, import and transit activities.”

Implement online quarantine

On July 17, 2021, talking to a reporter from Customs News about the enterprises' complaints on aquatic quarantine problems, Mr. Bach Duc Luu, Director of the Regional VI Sub-Department of Animal Health, said that the quarantine of goods, especially aquatic products, are always facilitated by the unit. For processed goods for export according to regulations, the enterprise is brought to the warehouse for quarantine.

However, during the peak period of pandemic prevention and control, some localities implemented isolation and restricted travel, so for the warehouses of enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City, the quarantine is fine, but the warehouses of enterprises in the provinces are difficult. Therefore, initially, the unit recommended that enterprises carry out quarantine at the port because the quarantine is now very fast. Goods entering the port are always inspected, issued with certificates to go away, and not have to take samples.

However, two enterprises are importing raw materials for processing tuna for export with a large number of imported containers (over 20 containers) based in Binh Duong and Long An that do not agree to quarantine at the port and want to bring the goods to their own warehouse, and agree to wait for the pandemic to end before checking. However, it will be difficult for businesses to put raw materials into production if waiting for the pandemic to end before checking.

"In this case, we have also directed the quarantine department at the port, if any shipment is too large and cannot be unloaded, we will arrange for the enterprise to bring the goods to the warehouse of the enterprise, then organize the inspection online through photos and video recording, keeping records and issuing papers. We also discussed specifically with the leaders of the Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers. If businesses still have problems in the quarantine, they can call us directly," Mr. Luu said.