| ASEAN
Cocoa prices up to near 3-year highs ft.com 20th Jun 2014
Chocoholics weep. Cocoa prices have jumped to near three-year highs on the back of voracious demand for chocolate across Asia, in a move that will heap pressure on confectioners’ profit margins. Traders said that a wave of new processing facilities, built to feed rising chocolate consumption in countries including India and China, had added to demand for cocoa beans. Over the past five years, demand in Asia has risen 29 per cent, compared with a fall of 1 per cent in Europe over the same period.
Foraging food security Business Recorder 19th Jun 2014
A latest report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) sponsored by DuPont presents improving grades for the world on an essential report card. The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2014 reveals that regardless of last years odd weather patterns, 70 percent of countries in the study saw food security scores increase over the last year. However, recently the FAO reported that "the world produces food enough to feed everyone, yet at the same time an estimated one in eight people, or some 870 million, suffer from chronic undernourishment". At the focus of this gap between production and consumption are food loss and waste that appear throughout the worlds numerous foods supply chains. Pakistan is ranked 77 in overall GFSI 2014 with an improved score of 43.6 out of 100 and gained 17th place in the Asia-Pacific region. GFSI is composed of three pillars: food availability; food affordability and food quality and safety. Pakistans food affordability score is worse than its food affordability score (see illustration), which means domestic grains and livestock produce are not feeding as many people as it should. A special section in the EIU report on "Food Loss" shows huge problems in national food systems as it points to structural problems in the agricultural infrastructure necessary for food security. The index showed Pakistan slipping one place to 76th in food availability indicator due to food loss owing to weather, disease or pests in sowing season.
Indonesia
Indonesia launched the e-registration service for Food Products Selerant 18th Jun 2014
The BPOM (National Agency of Drug and Food Control) Of Indonesia has launched the food product e-registration web site where food importers, manufacturers and distributors can register and apply to register a food product.The process of registration is the effect of several norms published from 2012 and then after several consultations with the industry the process is taking effect.The e- registration is divided in two main processes, first is uploading the company information & plant facility into the system and for the commencement uploading the data is only for Low Risk product category and then High Risk product category will be launched on July 2014.The socialization for this implementation to the user will be held on June 24, 2014.Users can register to the web site, then upload the required documents, the list of required documents is vary depending whether the products is manufactured in Indonesia or imported and if it is low or high risk. The most important standard to follow, is the conformity with the SNI (Indonesian national Standards) which are now published for all food categories at this site http://sisni.bsn.go.id/index.php/sni_main/sni/index_simple . Once all documents are uploaded, users is notified about the result (altough it is not indicated how long it takes) and if approved, the product is published in the list available for public consultation online
Competing halal standards leave food industry with indigestion Reuters 16th Jun 2014
The storm of bad publicity that hit confectioner Cadbury in Malaysia after its chocolates tested positive for traces of pork highlights the costly, religious minefield food companies must navigate as they rush to tap the surging $1 trillion global halal market. One of the biggest headaches for corporations like Mondelez International, Nestle and Unilever PLC is the lack of a unified standard for what exactly is halal, or permissible under Islamic law, despite years of efforts by Muslim authorities to come up with a global benchmark. As a result, global food firms face higher production costs as they must comply with a mix of national processing standards that can vary widely even within the same country.
Potato producers plant a seed in Indonesia Australia Network News 19th Jun 2014
Indonesian farmers want more seed potato and producers in Victoria and South Australia are vying to give it to them. Only Western Australia has a trade agreement in place and this week the eastern states are trying to join the party. A grower, packer, field officer and export agent joined Victorian Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh on a trade mission in Indonesia. Certified seed potatoes are heavily monitored and tested, first in a laboratory, then under strict field conditions and finally, in a grading facility. They act as purified seeds, which are reproduced en masse to produce the commercial potatoes found in supermarkets. The delegation hopes to prove that seed grown in eastern Australia is grown and distributed under strict monitoring.
Bank Indonesia Urges Govt to Maintain National Food Supply to Keep Inflation in Check Jakarta Globe 19th Jun 2014
Bank Indonesia urges the government to prioritize and maintain a national food supply so that inflation remains in check. “We have to keep an eye on the food supply, which goes in line with the rising economic growth,” said Ronald Waas, deputy governor of Bank Indonesia, the country’s central bank, in Jakarta on Thursday. Ronald said that food stability and supply have been the key issues in every country, especially countries that have huge numbers of population. Indonesia with more than 250 million people is the fourth most populated country, and its the average annual population growth is 1.49 percent.
Indonesia briefs FAO on its one million hectare rice-fish program Jakarta Post 19th Jun 2014
The Indonesian government reported to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Council Meeting here the results of its rice-fish farming and fresh-water prawn-rice systems which were able to increase rice yield by 10-20 percent to around 6 to 7.5 tons per hectare and an additional production of 1.2 tons-1.5 tons of fish. Indonesia’s Director General of the Food Security Agency Achmad Suryana told the five-day Council Meeting, which is to end in Rome on Friday, that the rice-fish farming initiative, which is part of a one million-ha program, also succeeded in raising farmers’ income to the equivalent of US$4,800-7,800/ha per harvest.
Indonesia refuses to sign tobaco control convention Antara News 19th Jun 2014
The government has decided not to sign Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to protect the countrys tobacco industry, an official said. The decision is not temporary but it is effective as long as there is still agency wanting to protect the industry, director of beverage and tobacco industries at the industry ministry Faiz Ahmad said. Faiz said support for the policy to maintain tobacco industry has diminished leaving only the industry ministry and the trade ministry are for maintaining the existence of the industry.
Palm Reserves in Indonesia Seen Climbing to Eight-Month High Jakarta Globe 16th Jun 2014
Palm oil inventories in Indonesia probably climbed to an eight-month high in May as exports from the world’s biggest supplier were the second lowest since 2012. Stockpiles expanded 10 percent from April to 2.2 million metric tons, the highest since September, according to the median of estimates from six planters, industry officials and analysts compiled by Bloomberg. Production fell 2 percent to 2.3 million tons, the survey shows. Exports were 1.48 million tons after 1.38 million tons in April, which were the least since September 2012, it shows.
Fishermen Call on Government to Address Illegal Fishing Jakarta Globe 16th Jun 2014
An Indonesian Traditional Fishermen’s Union (KNTI) official on Saturday called on the government to improve efforts to secure Indonesian waters from illegal fishing by foreign boats. The incursions cost the state trillions of Rupiah each year, the union said. “According to KTNI data, fish theft happens in 18 places across Indonesian waters,” KNTI board of advisers head Riza Damanik said on Saturday, as quoted by state-run Antara news agency. “This practice clearly has negative implications for the country’s efforts to preserve its marine ecosystems and the sustainability of the fisheries as a food source.”
Indonesia Coffee Shippers Seen by Nedcoffee Adding Stocks Bloomberg 16th Jun 2014
Exporters in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia, the world’s third-largest grower of robusta coffee, are stocking up on beans as this season’s crop is expected to be smaller than last year, according to trader Nedcoffee BV. “All the exporters in Bandar Lampung are building their stock by buying aggressively,” the Amsterdam-based trader said in a monthly report e-mailed today. Total stockpiles held in warehouses in Bandar Lampung, where Indonesia’s main coffee export port is located, were about 55,000 metric tons at the end of May, Nedcoffee said. The robusta coffee crop in southern Sumatra, the country’s main growing area, will be 16 percent smaller in 2014-15 compared with a year earlier, the trader said by e-mail, reiterating an April estimate.
Indonesian dairy seeks to emerge from shadows of larger producers Financial Times 15th Jun 2014
Indonesia’s best known exports to Hong Kong and Singapore have long been its lowly paid maids. But now, with backing from commodity group Cargill’s investment fund, one Indonesian dairy company is pushing to ensure that southeast Asia’s biggest economy is better known for its high-quality milk and Mozzarella cheese. AustAsia, which is one-third owned by Cargill’s Black River Asset Management and two-thirds owned by Indonesian tycoon Handojo Santosa, is boosting exports of its Greenfields milk with more than half of its annual sales of 27m litres going to overseas markets like Singapore and Hong Kong. This output is expected to double by the end of next year.
Malaysia
Chamber Hopes Food Safety Forum Will Pave Way For Easier Mart Access Bernama 16th Jun 2014
The EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry hopes its inaugural forum on food safety in October will help pave the way for an easier access to the respective markets between Malaysian and European companies. "We hope to stimulate food trade between European Union (EU) and Malaysia, under which European countries can access Malaysian market better and in a more competitive manner. "At the same time, Malaysian companies can export to Europe by understanding European sets of regulations on food safety," said Malaysia-Belgium-Luxembourg Business Council (MBLBC) President Daniel Pans. He said this at a media briefing today on the "EU-Asean Forum for Food Safety 2014", which would be held here in October. MBLBC is a partner for the forum.
El Nino seen paring palm oil yield by 12% Business Times 12th Jun 2014
A moderate El Nino weather pattern would reduce palm oil output by as much as 12 per cent in Malaysia, the world's second-largest producer, IOI Corp chief executive officer Lee Yeow Chor said. Prices may advance to a range of RM2,650 (S$1,032) a tonne to RM2,850 from August if the event occurs, Mr Lee said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur. An El Nino pattern as severe as in 1997-1998 may cut production by as much as 15 per cent, Mr Lee said, without specifying a period for the decline. Forecasters from the US to the United Nations have warned such an event may happen this year, while Goldman Sachs Group Inc says disruptions associated with El Nino have been most important for cocoa, coffee, sugar and palm oil.
Whittaker's Chocolate officially enters Malaysian retail market New Straits Times 18th Jun 2014
New Zealand's chocolatey pride, Whittaker's Chocolate is confident to be the leader in the Malaysia’s premium chocolate segment in two years. Whittaker's expects its premium brand of chocolates to be distributed through 15 commercial retailers in the country by year-end. Whittaker's, which has landed in Malaysia 10 years ago through duty-free shopping, believes it is high time to venture into the Malaysian retail market given its strong year-on-year (YoY) growth in the duty free segment. All Whittaker's products in Malaysia are certified halal.
Enough food to weather El Nino The Star 18th Jun 2014
THERE will be adequate food supply for the people during the anticipated dry season due to the El Nino phenomenon, expected to strike the country in the next few months, says Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman. He added that measures were in place to prevent food shortages, especially of rice, which was the main staple of the people. “The country has a stockpile of rice for 45 days, but this amount can be increased to last up to between four and six months,” he said during Question Time. He said Malaysia’s padi fields are provided with irrigation canals and the ministry will provide tube well facilities so that rice production will not be affected by the dry weather. On the supply of chicken, Tajuddin said the country had “more than enough” supply for the population. As for fruit, Tajuddin said plantations in the highlands such as Cameron Highlands and Lojing, Kelantan, will not be affected by El Nino. “There is enough water supply in the highlands and it is unlikely for crops to be affected there,” he said.
Myanmar
Illegal fishing nets blamed for declining catches Myanmar Times 17th Jun 2014
Illegal fishing nets are being blamed for the depletion of fish stocks off Mon State. Local fishermen say stocks have declined considerably over the past 10 years, and some days they catch no fish at all. Locals accuse fishermen from other parts of the country of using nets with holes so small that they catch baby fish, thus preventing restocking. Nets with holes that are too small are prohibited by law as a conservation measure. U Aung Min, 49, of Aung Kan Thar village, Thaton township, said fish resources had been significantly depleted over the past decade. “We used to catch 3 or 4 viss (4.8-6.4 kilograms) of fish in the past, but we’re down to about 1 viss (1.6 kilogram) now, and some days we don’t catch anything at all. It’s because of the use of nets that catch even baby fish. I’m worried that stocks will be depleted entirely for the next generation,” he said.
Investment in Rice Milling Key to Boosting Export, Report Says Irrawaddy 13th Jun 2014
A new World Bank report said Burma can greatly increase its agricultural exports if it can improve the quality of rice through investments in rice mills, while it should also reduce transport costs and formulate policies to support rice export and agricultural production. Burma’s reformist government aims to improve agricultural productivity and rice exports, and it has set a goal of exporting 4 million metric tons of rice by 2020. The report, titled “Capitalizing on Rice Export Opportunities”, said that since reforms began in 2011 rice exports have significantly increased, but in the past two years export volumes levelled off at about 1.3 million tons annually.
Thai rice pushes Myanmar out of Africa Myanmar Times 12th Jun 2014
Myanmar rice exporters are being undercut in the important African markets by a flood of exports as the Thai junta offloads millions of tonnes of stored rice at discounted prices, according to Myanmar rice trading officials.
Philippines
Palace: Gains vs smuggling resulted in price surge Philippine Star 20th Jun 2014
Malacañang believes the government’s unrelenting efforts against smuggling and the congestion of shipping containers in the port of Manila led to the surge in prices of basic commodities. Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. yesterday told reporters this was the finding of the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which has been monitoring the prices of basic commodities. This was also partly the reason why pork prices have increased as well, he said. As to poultry products, he said this was due to the summer season and the Palace expects prices to stabilize in a month’s time. President Aquino directed concerned Cabinet members yesterday to focus on providing a stable supply of prime commodities in the market to protect the interest of consumers. Aquino issued the directive in the aftermath of the surge in prices of rice, garlic, ginger, pork, chicken and milk, among others.
PH rice sufficiency unlikely in 10 years – UA&P Manila Times 16th Jun 2014
The country is unlikely to achieve rice sufficiency within the next 10 years because of its disadvantageous geographical conditions, the economist that heads research at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said. Bernardo Villegas, head of the Center for Research and Communication of the UA&P, explained that although the Philippines is an archipelago, the country still lacks big lakes and rivers that could supply water for irrigation systems to spur increased rice production. “The Philippines cannot supply enough water for its agricultural land because unlike Vietnam and Thailand, we don’t have big rivers,” Villegas told participants in the Asia CEO Forum held in Makati city on Friday. Because of this, the Philippines would still import at least 40 percent of its rice requirements for the succeeding years from neighboring countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, he said. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service earlier reported that the Philippines is the world’s biggest rice importer, purchasing between 1 million to 2 million metric tons of rice each year mainly from Thailand and Vietnam.
Philippines eyes more mango, banana exports to US Manila Times 16th Jun 2014
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is exploring more export opportunities in the United States for locally grown banana and mango, which should be good news for Philippine fruit growers. The DA is negotiating for the entry of these products to other markets in the United States including Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and Hawaii. Clarito Barron, director of the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI), said prospects are bright for higher exports of Cavendish bananas from Mindanao and mangoes from various parts of the country as Manila intensifies its lobby for these products to be allowed into other US markets. “This will definitely lead to an increase in the country’s revenue and therefore boost our banana industry,” Barron said in a statement.
Unilever links small farmers to supply chain Manila Bulletin 16th Jun 2014
Unilever Philippines seeks to source 100 percent of its raw materials for ice cream, soup mixes, among others sustainably by linking small farmers into the company’s supply chain. Chito Macapagal, Unilever vice-president for business development, said the company has started tapping tamarind produce from small farmers in the Mountain Province for its Knorr Sinigang Mix. The company has also kicked off local sourcing of peanut for its sandwich spread products. In 2012, the company worked with 70 purple yam (ube) farmers from Gawad Kalinga, who provided 10% of the requirements for its Selecta ice cream. Macapagal explained the part from helping increase the income of local farmers, this also allows the company to reduce its carbon footprint. By linking the small farmers through technical assistance and farm training, Macapagal said, producers they are assured of sustained supply because of sustained production as farmers learn how the proper way of farming. As such, farmers earn more from their produce.
ECCP helps PH food firms increase sales in Asia Business Inquirer 13th Jun 2014
The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) is helping local companies increase sales to the Asian food market, following their successful participation in the recently concluded ThaiFex World of Food Asia. In a statement, the ECCP explained that its unit, Fairs and More Inc. (FMI), together with the Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization Inc. and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, brought 20 Philippine food companies to the expo, deemed as one of the leading business platforms for food companies in the region. This was part of FMI’s initiatives to introduce and expose local food companies to potential foreign markets. The visitor traffic and the number of decision makers present at the expo have proven that ThaiFex was the right venue for Philippine companies to further expand opportunities in the region, it said. The Philippines is said to be in a good position to compete in Asia on certain food products including processed foods, ready-to-eat meals, snacks, fruit and vegetable drinks, food preserves, noodles, pastry ingredients and condiments, according to FMI.
Thailand
Technology key to boosting food productivity The Nation 19th Jun 2014
THE agricultural sector will face many challenges, including global warming, a growing world population and stricter trading conditions, Montri Congtrakultien, president of the crop integration business group at Charoen Pokphand Group, warned yesterday. The sector has to rely more on technology to boost productivity to meet increasing demand as well as to improve quality and hygiene standards, he told a seminar on "Challenges and Opportunities for Global Food Security". "It is anticipated that the world population will increase significantly from 7 billion to about 9 billion by 2048. According to an Australian study, [much of this] increase would be seen in Asia, and will be highest in China and India. "Any new investment then has to be focused on Asia to serve increasing demand for fruits and vegetables, meat, fishery products and animal feed," he said. The Food and Agricultural Organisation has revealed that about 844 million people all over the world suffered from food shortages in the 2011-13 period, decreasing from 1.02 billion people in 1990-92, he said.
Thai Rice Subsidy Leaves Junta in a Quandary Wall Street Journal 18th Jun 2014
When Thailand's army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha grabbed power in a coup d'état, he acquired a long list of problems to solve, not least the question of what to do with Thailand's botched attempt to steer world rice prices higher.
Thai rice farmers paid $2.9 billion of arrears, state bank says Reuters 17th Jun 2014
Thailand's military government has paid rice farmers all the arrears of 92.4 billion baht ($2.86 billion) owed under a controversial state purchase scheme, a senior official of the bank that funded the program said on Tuesday. The move ended the government's biggest expenditure on the costly scheme, following a vow by the junta government to halt it for now. Farmers had been waiting for their money since last October.
Thailand’s food exports to hit USD30b this year Black Sea Grain 12th Jun 2014
Thailand’s food exports in 2014 is forecast to grow 5% from last year to reach around UDS 30 billion, said Petch Chinabutr, President of Thailand’s National Food Institute (NFI). The higher exports are supported by an estimated larger amount of rice exports and increase in shipments of shrimp, chicken, tuna, sugar and tapioca, according to Mr Petch. Asean is the major market for Thai exports, taking an annual share of USD 6.2-9.3 billion, followed by Japan. NFI is trying to promote more processed foods exports and upgrades of standard food plants that number between 5000-8000 nationwide.
Thai Military Offers Support Plan for Rice Farmers Voice of America 19th Jun 2014
Thailand's ruling military will develop a scheme to help rice farmers cover costs, a top officer said on Wednesday, in place of a scandal-plagued and costly price support program that helped drive the former prime minister from office. Junta leader General Prayuth Chan-Ocha last week had said the scheme of guaranteeing prices far above market levels would be scrapped, but had not indicated what would replace it. The lack of a price subsidy will mark the first time in decades that the rice industry in Thailand, until recently the world's top exporter, will operate without direct state intervention.
Thailand’s Costly Rice Scheme is Officially Dead, Junta Says Wall Street Journal 16th Jun 2014
Among the pressing tasks facing Thailand’s ruling military junta is cleaning up the mess from the former government’s disastrous rice-subsidy scheme. One thing’s for sure: The subsidy is dead, at least for now. Thai army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who seized power May 22, officially confirmed last Friday that there are no plans to revive the multibillion-dollar program. That ends speculation about the future of a program that cost Thailand its crown as the world’s largest rice exporter and was a significant factor in the previous government’s downfall. “Today, if you ask me, there will definitely be no rice scheme, but whether we will have one in the future is a different matter,” Gen. Prayuth told senior military and government officials at a meeting on the country’s budget. The decision could be left to the new interim government, which Gen. Prayuth said will be set up by early September at the latest.
Vietnam
Technology holds key to growing quality produce Vietnam News 18th Jun 2014
The Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta should increase the use of advanced technologies as well as good agricultural practices (GAP) in fruit and vegetable production to enhance quality and safety, experts told a seminar held in Tien Giang on Monday. Despite its many achievements, the agricultural sector's development had been unsustainable due to the small scale production and lack of market information, Mai Thanh Phung, chief of the National Agriculture Extension Centre's permanent division in the south, said. "With shrinking arable land and increasing population, the application of new technologies in fruit and vegetable production is a must to raise productivity and quality," he warned. This would enable the region's fruits and vegetables gain wider acceptance and improve their competitiveness in both domestic and international markets, he told a seminar organised by the centre, the Tien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Trade Promotion and Economic Development Joint Stock Company.
PM receives Dutch counterpart, vows strategic partnership on agriculture Vietnam News 17th Jun 2014
Viet Nam and the Netherlands have agreed to establish a strategic partnership on sustainable agriculture and food security. This followed talks yesterday between Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte. Dung said that Viet Nam regarded the Netherlands as one of its leading European Union partners. The two leaders said the friendship and co-operation between Viet Nam and the Netherlands had been positive, effective and dynamic in all aspects, evidenced by the establishment of a strategic partnership on climate change adaptation and water management in 2010. They noted that both sides had increased the exchange of delegations at all levels, and created favorable conditions for business, especially in such priority areas as climate change, water management, agriculture, energy, marine economy, logistics services and shipbuilding. The two sides agreed to expand co-operation in defence, science-technology and education-training while regularly organising cultural exchanges in each country.
Vietnamese farmer makes pesticide from herbs Vietnam Net 17th Jun 2014
After pouring the black, dense water from a 20-liter can to a small cup and then drinking it in one gulp, Le Van Dao, a farmer in Khoai Chau district of Hung Yen, smiled and said: “If you mix the special water with 0.5 liters of alcohol and some water and then spray your vegetable garden, you can kill all the insects overnight.” Dao went on to say that he has been using the “drug” for his vegetable fields for the last eight years. The drug allows to kill insects effectively, while it is safe to humans. Dao and the other farmers who use the special pesticide do not have to wear a raincoat, wellington boots when spraying, because the liquid matter will not harm them even if it touches their skin. Affirming the outstanding features of the self-created pesticide, the 57-year-old farmer said that he made the pesticide from herbs, not chemicals. The herb materials are all very familiar to Vietnamese people, such as alpinia, garlic or ginger. “You have to soak over 10 varieties of herbs into alcohol for half a year and then mix with some water to have the “herb pesticide”,” Dao said. “One can of herb pesticide is enough for one crop. The herbs cost VND100,000 only.”
Vietnam rice firm denies paying bribes to win Philippines rice contract Thanh Nien News 16th Jun 2014
An executive at the state-owned Vinafood 2 has denied allegations that the company bribed a Philippine official to secure a contract for 700,000 tons of rice, news website Thoi Bao Kinh Te Saigon (Saigon Times) reported. Nguyen Ngoc Nam, vice director-general of Vinafood 2, made the denial following reports published by www.oryza.com, an international journal on rice science, on June 12. The website cited local sources as saying that the Philippines Agriculture Secretary allegedly struck a "midnight deal" with Vinafood 2 in April to secure a contract to supply 700,000 tons of 15-percent broken white rice between May and August of this year. Based on a complaint from the Metro Manila Vendor's Association (MMVA), the Office of the Ombudsman questioned the Agriculture Secretary over his alleged involvement in the Vietnam rice import deal.
Vietnam's Mekong Delta pays huge ecological toll for agricultural boom Thanh Nien 15th Jun 2014
Cultivation and fishing activities have prospered throughout the Mekong River basin at great cost to the ecology, government officials and experts said at an annual forum on Saturday. Participants from the Mekong Delta said that natural resources and aquatic biodiversity are declining at alarming levels due to agricultural production, news website Thoi Bao Kinh Te Saigon (Saigon Times) Online reported. Climate change is only making matters worse, the news site reported.
Agriculture must remain the economic backbone Vietnam Net 13th Jun 2014
The National Assembly (NA) should adopt a resolution on the development of agriculture, said Vo Thi Dung, an agriculture expert and NA deputy.
Ministry inspects use of additives Vietnam News 12th Jun 2014
The Health Ministry's Food Administration will carry out inspections of the production, trade and use of food additives in a number of localities from now until the end of this month. Two teams of health inspectors would be set up in Ha Noi, HCM City and surrounding localities, said Deputy Head of the Food Administration Nguyen Thanh Phong. The inspections would focus on food additive producers, businesses, importers and food producers that use additives, particularly those who had a history of violating regulations, he said. Inspectors will check food safety and hygiene certificates, origins of materials and food additives and hygiene conditions.
VN Minister, Coca-Cola executive meet to discuss expansion plans VietnamNet 13th Jun 2014
Coca-Cola caught the attention of the public after it announced a plan to expand business in Vietnam, though it has repeatedly incurred losses over the many years, for which it did not pay any Vietnamese dong in corporate income tax. Vinh, in an interview given to Vietnam National Television (VTV) last year, said taxation bodies found signs of many foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) engaging in transfer pricing. He named two, Coca-Cola and Adidas. Vinh said that the FIEs are tarnishing the image of the 14,500 FIEs in Vietnam.
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