The MARD sent documents detailing the problem to several localities, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Defence on May 4. These documents require parties to control and supervise poultry-import activities and to apply strict punishment to violators to prevent the risk of infectious diseases.

Accordingly, the MARD expects that these parties will develop solutions to survey border crossings, trails, seaports, and river ways to control the situation. Batches of illegally imported poultry will be culled immediately.

The total chicken population of Vietnam, including white-feathered chickens, coloured chickens, and egg-laying hens, was 498 million in 2020 and is predicted to rise to about 555 million this year, according to the Vietnam Net Global.

Meanwhile, statistics published by the Department of Livestock Production show that the total chicken volume imported both by legal and illegal channels is estimated at 200,000-250,000 tonnes per year. In the last five years, the volume of imported poultry is reported to have seen an average annual increase of 15 per cent.

Nguyen Thanh Son, chairman of the Vietnam Poultry Association, said that the poultry sector has faced many difficulties recently as the domestic supply alone currently exceeds demand. As a result, both livestock companies and households are suffering losses.

In light of the situation, Vu Anh Tuan, deputy director of C.P. Vietnam is petitioning the MARD to propose the provision of credit incentives, decrease the corporate tax for livestock companies, and lower import taxes for material to produce animal feed.