Vietnam - United Kingdom to soon open livestock and poultry meat markets

On September 27, at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien meets and works with the UK veterinary agency. UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Ms. Christine Middlemiss, considers the meeting with MARD leaders a great honor, especially as Vietnam and the United Kingdom are celebrating 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations.

The Chief Advisor recalls her work trip to Vietnam in September 2019, when she first negotiated market access for British pork and poultry products in Vietnam. After four years, market expansion programs and related projects have progressed significantly. Ms. Christine hopes that Vietnam will consider applications from British businesses and start trade activities soon.

“Our Minister of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is very happy because the foundation of the trade agreement between the two countries has created favorable conditions to promote agricultural trade.

Currently, a delegation from the UK agricultural ministry is conducting an audit of Vietnam’s processed chicken products. We consider this audit not only a technical process, but also an opportunity for the two countries to collaborate and learn from one another. We have had a better understanding of the Vietnamese agriculture and veterinary system, and therefore will try to remove administrative barriers to make the process run more smoothly,” Middlemiss shares.

The Vietnam - UK Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) was officially signed at the end of 2020. After three years, agricultural cooperation between the two countries has blossomed since UKVFTA took effect. Upon the initial success, the United Kingdom veterinary agency wants the two countries’ Ministries of Agriculture to continue negotiations on the possibility of Vietnam importing British goose meat, goose feathers, cow and sheep products.

Based on the technical and professional foundation the two countries have built over the years, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien affirms that the UK market is always a priority for Vietnam's cooperation.

The Deputy Minister says: “This year, trade revenue between the two countries will definitely increase, especially in the exchange of agricultural products. We have received 63 business documents from your country. We will assign the Department of Animal Health to review the documents so that British pork and poultry can soon be imported into Vietnam.”

In recent years, there have been active exchange activities between the two countries on disease prevention measures in livestock and poultry, especially methods of diagnosing and testing animal diseases. On MARD’s behalf, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien thanks the United Kingdom for supporting Vietnam’s veterinary science industry in building standard laboratories, as well as providing professional support on antibiotic resistance.

MARD leaders also propose the UK to provide technical and professional support as the world’s leading country in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine. 

Since Vietnam’s agricultural sector consists of mostly fragmented and small-scale production households, MARD leaders hope to learn from the megafarm model in the UK, as well as methods to apply high technology to the production chain.

Some other topics discussed in the meeting include training in risk analysis skills for the veterinary industry, and the possibility of the UK opening the market for Vietnamese processed chicken products. Along with that, the two leaders recognize that scientific achievements in veterinary medicine will create favorable conditions for cooperation in research and production of disease prevention vaccines for livestock and poultry.

Chief Advisor Christine Middlemiss commands MARD’s initiative to promote scientific cooperation in veterinary medicine and epidemiological research. As global climate change increases biosecurity risks, the UK veterinary agency and Vietnam’s MARD are committed to disease management.

Middlemiss recognizes that Vietnam is one of the leading countries in preventing livestock and poultry diseases with many positive contributions. The Chief Advisor highly appreciates the role of the One Health Poultry Hub Vietnam in minimizing risks to public health, addressing antibiotic resistance and preventing avian flu.

UKVFTA was officially signed on December 29, 2020, in the UK and takes effect from May 1, 2021. This agreement will help Vietnam and the UK maintain preferential trade conditions and economic benefits through the market opening commitments already in the EVFTA.