A Ukraine-Vietnam meeting focused on trade relations between the two countries has taken place.
On February 18, a Ukraine-Vietnam meeting was held to discuss trade relations between the two countries. Participants included:
- the leadership of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP), including: First Deputy Head Oleg Osiyan, Acting Head of the International Cooperation, Trade, and European Integration Department Yulia Kostynska, and Director of the Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine Ihor Lotskin;
- Ukraine's Ambassador to Vietnam Oleksandr Hamann.
- Director of the Meat Industry Association Mykola Babenko;
- representatives of the Ukrainian meat business: Ihor Lyakhovskyi ("Agro-Invest"), Andrii Tarasenko (Antonivskyi Meat Processing Plant), Azer Allahverdiyev ("Exim Food").
The Vietnamese side was represented by Dr. Nguyen Van Long, Director of the Department of Animal Health of Vietnam (DAH), along with heads of relevant departments. DAH is a separate general department of the Ministry of Agriculture of Vietnam and directly regulates market access issues.
A priority topic was the opening of the Vietnamese market for Ukrainian food products, primarily pork. According to 2023 data, pork imports to the country amounted to $176 million, mainly from Brazil, Germany, Canada, Poland, the USA, and Spain. In the first eight months of 2024, the volume of pork imports to Vietnam was ten times greater than exports, with the country importing products worth a total of $144 million. A total of 27 countries have the right to supply their pork to Vietnam, but Ukraine is still not among them.
As demand in the Vietnamese domestic market continues to grow, the Meat Industry Association has identified the opening of the local market as a priority for the current year.
Meeting participants agreed on the following points:
- Accelerate the resolution of the issue regarding the opening of the Vietnamese market, particularly through direct contacts at the technical specialist level between the SSUFSCP of Ukraine and the Department of Animal Health of Vietnam.
- Provide clarifications and comments regarding requirements for Ukrainian products and respond to inquiries that remain insufficiently clarified from the Vietnamese side during previous correspondences.
- The Ukrainian side must thoroughly work out the procedure for anti-epizootic measures and properly inform their Vietnamese colleagues about them.
Special attention was given to the issue of ASF vaccination. In response to a relevant question, Dr. Nguyen Van Long confirmed that Vietnam has registered and is successfully using the AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine in the fight against ASF. Additionally, Vietnam has a bilateral agreement with the Philippines regarding the recognition of trade in pork from vaccinated pigs.
In the Philippines, the AVAC vaccine has also been officially registered, with purchases being made at both the state and business levels. This approach, along with other measures, could facilitate the opening of Asian markets for Ukrainian pork, even while still classified as a country affected by ASF, following the introduction of ASF vaccination in Ukraine.
The parties confirmed that pork remains a priority product for opening the Vietnamese market (among several others under negotiation) and agreed to cooperate at both the bilateral level and within international organizations and events. The Meat Industry Association will continue to coordinate business efforts to accelerate market opening and the development of Ukrainian pig farming internationally.
Background. Earlier, Mind reported that Ukraine is unable to meet pork consumption with domestic production. Between 10% and 30% of pork in Ukraine is imported.