The Great Hog Hunt: Uncovering Critical Flaws in Ho Chi Minh City’s Traceability and Informal Trade.

When Mr. Binh requested to hold the pork batch for further inspection, the food safety management team at the market explained that the veterinary certificate had legal value, so the batch was allowed to enter the market as usual. In this case, the team only reminded the involved parties to input the correct data.

Previously, the Food Safety Department also mentioned that the use of traceability tags is encouraged but not mandatory, so there are no penalties for non-compliance.

Given the findings and reports from voters, Mr. Binh stated that the Culture and Society Committee will closely monitor the proposal for managing, identifying, and tracing the origin of pork. The preliminary supervision revealed significant loopholes in the current system.

“Why is it necessary to use traceability tags? What happens if we don’t use these tags? Is there a monopoly on providing these tags? Did the company providing the tags go through a bidding process?” Mr. Binh inquired.

In a report to the supervisory team, Mr. To Van Liem, Chairman of Hoc Mon Food Processing JSC, stated that in the first six months of 2024, the total pork slaughtering capacity was 339,700 pigs. The average capacity was only 1,887 pigs per day, equivalent to 47.17% of the designed capacity, resulting in inefficient business operations.

According to Mr. Liem, the industrial pig slaughtering capacity of factories in HCMC is about 10,000 pigs per day, but only 25% of this capacity is utilized due to a lack of pigs. Meanwhile, live pigs are being sent to Long An for slaughter in manual facilities, and then the pork is brought back to Hoc Mon Agricultural Products Wholesale Market, accounting for more than 50% of the market’s nightly pork supply.

Before HCMC constructed industrial slaughterhouses and mandated 100% industrial slaughtering, these manual slaughterhouses in Long An only served the local population, with a capacity of no more than 50 pigs per day.

At Hoc Mon Agricultural Products Wholesale Market Management and Business Co., Ltd., the issue of spontaneous business activities around the market was a key discussion point. This has been a source of frustration for traders in the market due to unequal food safety management, security, environmental sanitation, and tax compliance requirements.

Ms. Huynh Thi Xuan Mai, Vice Chairman of Hoc Mon District People’s Committee, shared that the district has established a task force to address this issue, with three shifts working 24/7. However, they still face challenges, such as absent business owners during inspections, owners moving their goods elsewhere or storing them in cold storage during inspections, and a lack of dedicated inspection staff, leading to less-than-desired outcomes.

Mr. Cao Thanh Binh emphasized the importance of effective food safety management at the wholesale market, as it is the primary source of fresh food for HCMC residents. “Through our supervision at Binh Dien and Hoc Mon markets, we have found that the issue of spontaneous markets around the wholesale markets is severe. We will compile a report and propose solutions to the HCMC People’s Committee for handling this matter,” Mr. Binh stated.

Mr. Binh also acknowledged the current challenges in addressing spontaneous markets, which require a lot of effort but have not been very effective due to a lack of synchronization. He suggested, “We don’t need to be present 24/7; we can install cameras for retrospective punishment. If we strictly enforce the ‘no parking’ rule around the market and increase fines, these spontaneous businesses will not be able to operate.”