FDA asked to continue tra fish inspections

HCMC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue its role as inspector of tra fish imports from Vietnam.

USDA earlier planned to take over the job of inspecting all stages of Vietnam’s tra fish production from FDA from September 1, 2017, when Vietnamese tra fish will be labeled as catfish. However, in its recently released budget summary for 2018, USDA asked FDA to move on with the task due to its budget cuts.

Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said the association has received the information. “We are contacting the parties concerned to see what is really going on.”

Vietnamese seafood exporters who are used to the etiquette of FDA said it would be easier to work with FDA than USDA in terms of paperwork. In addition to transferring some duties to other agencies, USDA is expected to lay off 5,300 staff to cut costs.

In 2016, Vietnam’s tra fish exports reached US$1.66 billion, with the U.S. being the largest importer, accounting for 23% of Vietnam’s total tra exports. However, China has overtaken the U.S. as the largest importer of Vietnamese tra fish this year.

According to VASEP, tra exports to the U.S. in the first quarter of 2017 totaled only US$61 million, a 24% decrease against the same period last year. The high anti-dumping tariff and the U.S. technical barriers are behind the fall in tra fish sales to America.

There are currently 15 eligible firms exporting tra fish to the U.S. but only two or three of them frequently export the fish there.