Improving the Legal System for Livestock Slaughter in Vietnam: Challenges and Prospects

In Vietnam, as in most countries, livestock farming is an important part of the agro-industrial complex. However, despite the presence of more than 460 centralized slaughterhouses, the problem of small-scale activities in this sector remains acute. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Livestock Association, emphasizes the need to improve the legal system to minimize risks related to food safety and sanitation.

Current situation

Currently, there are more than 1,480 small slaughterhouses for buffalo and cows, more than 17,600 for pigs, more than 4,800 for poultry, and more than 90 slaughterhouses for goats and sheep. These facilities often do not meet sanitary requirements, which poses serious risks to public HEALTH. According to the Department of Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Medicine in Hanoi, the sanitary control of small slaughterhouses is only 18.6%. This suggests that most of these facilities operate in unsafe conditions.

Challenges and Risks

The main challenges facing the slaughterhouse system in Vietnam include:

1. Poor sanitation standards: Many small-scale slaughterhouses lack the appropriate equipment and technology, resulting in product contamination and poor hygiene.

2. Lack of supervision: Weak government oversight means many facilities operate outside of regulations.

3. Lack of information: Small-scale livestock breeders and slaughterhouse owners often lack access to up-to-date information on best practices and modern slaughter technologies.

4. Economic factors: Small-scale producers often cannot afford to upgrade their facilities, leaving them dependent on outdated methods.

Actions

A number of steps need to be taken to address these challenges:

1. Tighter legislation: Authorities should develop and implement stricter laws and regulations on sanitation requirements for slaughterhouses. This will improve supervision of both large and small-scale operations.

2. Education and awareness: it is important to organize training programs for small-scale abattoir owners and livestock breeders to increase their awareness of sanitary standards and safe slaughter practices.

3. Support for centralized facilities: Incentives should be created for small-scale producers to move to centralized slaughter methods, which will ensure a higher level of control and safety.

4. Monitoring and control: Establishing a system of regular monitoring and inspection will help identify violations and ensure compliance with sanitary standards.

Prospects

Improving the legal system for slaughtering in Vietnam can lead not only to better sanitary conditions but also to higher product quality. This, in turn, will increase consumer confidence and open up new markets for Vietnamese producers. It is important to understand that food safety is not only a matter of public health but also of the country’s economic stability.

Further development of the legal system for slaughtering in Vietnam is a necessary step towards creating an efficient and safe livestock farming system that meets modern requirements and society’s expectations.