Experts from both home and abroad discussed ways to handle difficulties and shortcomings in developing the cultivation of clean and safe vegetables at a symposium held in Hanoi on March 18.
Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu emphasised that the existing Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) model has not yet met the escalating demand for clean and safe food.
She cited the broader application of the farming model as a key solution to the expansion of safe vegetable growing.
Thu mentioned difficulties and inadequacies in managing and broadening the clean vegetable market due to small-scale cultivation, inconsistent quality, and a loose connection between the model’s participants.
Scott Ledger, a GAP expert from Australia, said consumers are now demanding safer and higher quality food. Thus, it is vital to farm following the GAP model.
He suggested each country put forth its own GAP standards based on environmental sanitation, product quality, and benefits to the model’s participants.
Vietnam should learn from Thailand and China’s experience in successfully developing the model, the expert said.
In meeting local consumer and export demand, delegates also proposed measures aimed to ensure food safety and hygiene, focusing on planning large-scale vegetable cultivation areas in line with VietGAP, ASEAN GAP and GlobalGAP.
Attention will be paid to tightening the control of the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides to ensure food safety and prevent environmental pollution.
VNA
