Catfish being processed at a Vietnamese plant. (Photo: Seafoodfromvietnam)

Review of rules extended for imported pangasius

UNITED STATES
Friday, February 19, 2010, 00:30 (GMT + 9)

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Tuesday extended its review of pangasius food safety inspection regulations proposed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The action comes despite concerns that said inspections could incite a trade war with Vietnam.

Officials from the US Departments of State and Commerce plus several members of Congress criticised the proposal arguing that it unfairly targets pangasius imports and Vietnamese pangasius in particular. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's proposed regulations apply to Asian pangasius sold as basa, tra and swai in the US.

Many parliamentarians have requested that Vilsack exclude tra and basa from his proposal. They claimed that if Vietnamese pangasius becomes included into the catfish list, it would be subject to a stricter safety inspection regime under the 2008 farm bill - which happens to be unaffordable to Vietnamese exporters due to the high monetary and time costs, VOVNews reports.

Vietnamese pangasius would consequently temporarily become banned from the US while negotiations take place.

"This is an unfair proposal," Vu Van Tam, deputy minister of agriculture and rural development, said.

In 2009, members of US Congress voted against including Vietnamese tra and basa fish into the line of adjustment under the 2008 farm bill.

Chinese and Vietnamese pangasius producers complain that the new rules do not give them enough time to convert from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection process. Under the 2008 farm bill, pangasius inspections will be undertaken by the USDA, The Washington Post reports.

It usually takes two to five years to negotiate formal agreements with foreign governments for USDA inspections of their products to be carried out. Although a draft copy of the proposed rules allows for a period of 18 months, foreign importers say that if agreements cannot be reached in that period, the programme will cause a ban on their product and provoke trade wars in retaliation.
 
Related article:

- Trade war over catfish definition looms

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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