The Egyptian market resumed import of Vietnamese ‘basa’ after Egyptian relevant offices confirmed that the catfish is safe for use, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said on April 2.
The Egyptian Embassy in Vietnam has continued to grant permits for Vietnamese ‘basa’ export to Egypt after a halt due to allegations of the product’s quality.
According to Tran Bich Nga, deputy head of the National Agro-forestry and Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (Nafiqad), ‘basa’ shipments stuck at arrival ports can be released as from April 2.
Following the move, the Mideast market and other Arabian markets have also reopened for Vietnamese basa catfish.
MARD Deputy Minister Luong Le Phuong, however, still announced a strict inspection of all aquatic product shipments the Mideast market in a bid to ensure their quality.
Vietnam raked in 55 million USD from seafood exports to the Egyptian market last year./.