A safe food production chain with an expected capacity of 20,500 tonnes per year was launched in Hanoi this morning, April 25.
Amid rising concerns over food safety, six enterprises operating in animal feed, poultry breeding, animal husbandry, slaughtering and pork and chicken processing partnered up to establish a safe food production chain called Green Food Hanoi.
Safe food production chain allows consumers to track product origins
Green Food Hanoi, created with the support of the Hanoi Farming Development Centre, is the largest partnership of its kind the capital city.
The chain plans to admit member farms in Hanoi, including 150 pig farms with a combined 7,500 sows and 82,000 porkers as well as 50 chicken farms with a combined 250,000 chickens.
The chain expects to produce 8,250 tonnes of pork, 1,160 tonnes of chickens and 900,000 eggs per year.
They also plan to set up 20 to 30 food stores citywide as well as supply food for between 100 and 120 office, school and hospital cafeterias.
To date, Green Food Hanoi has surveyed 105 farms and admitted 83 farms as members. They have also opened five food stores in Ha Dong, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho and Thanh Xuan districts.
A representative from Green Food Hanoi said they pledge to only sell fresh meat that was produced the same day. This could be an advantage once the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement takes effect in Vietnam. The agreement will allow large volumes of frozen meat into the country.
Nguyen Xuan Duong, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Animal Husbandry Department, said that the establishment of a safe food production chain is a benefit for consumers, who will be better able to track the origins of the products they eat.
“Safe production chains not only help consumers get access to safe food, but provide small-scale animal farms a chance to join an association and learn how to make better quality products. Profits are fairly divided among all stakeholders, including farmers,” he commented.
Thanh Tam, a consumer from Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan District, said, “I’m happy to know that this kind of thing exists in Hanoi because I'm concerned about food safety."
