In response to the complex issues of smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeiting, and intellectual property rights infringements in the agriculture and environment sectors, on May 21, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued Plan No. 02/KH-BNNMT to strictly implement the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 13/CT-TTg dated May 17, 2025, on enhancing the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeiting in the new situation, and the Prime Minister’s Telegraph No. 65/QD-TTg dated May 15, 2025, on launching a peak campaign to prevent and repel smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeiting, and intellectual property rights infringements.
FOCUSING ON CRUCIAL AREAS
According to the plan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will proactively coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to deploy inspection and post-inspection activities on food safety. In particular, strict handling will be implemented for acts of trading fake, harmful, and unidentified food products; at the same time, reviewing and perfecting legal regulations on techniques, pre-inspection, post-inspection, and licensing procedures.
The key inspection contents include food safety; fake and harmful food products; forestry and aquatic products; production and trading of plant varieties, livestock breeds, fertilizers, and plant protection drugs; the use of growth stimulants for fruits; and the use of chemicals beyond the permitted limits in preservation and processing to deceive about quantity and reduce product quality after thawing.
The peak inspection period is from May 15 to June 15, 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment requires its subordinate units to thoroughly grasp the spirit of the Prime Minister’s directions, conducting inspections with a focus on key areas to ensure practicality and avoid formalism.
To implement this plan, the Ministry’s working groups will work with key localities such as Kien Giang and Lao Cai, which have a high risk of smuggling and legal violations in the agricultural sector. The inspections will be mainly conducted through surprise visits to detect and promptly handle violations by individuals and organizations.
Notably, the Ministry’s competent authorities will strengthen propaganda and dissemination of laws to each production and business establishment and individual to raise awareness and voluntary compliance with the law. Along with this, the state management of the use of agricultural materials, chemicals, and additives will be tightened, following the motto of “handling one case to warn a whole region and sector” and “no prohibited area, no exception.”
DEFINING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EACH UNIT
Based on the specific functions and tasks, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has assigned concrete tasks to its subordinate units to implement the plan. Among them, the Department of Quality, Processing, and Market Development is assigned to be the Standing Office of the Ministry’s Task Force, in charge of urging the units to implement the plan, synthesizing consultancy, and reporting the results to the Prime Minister.
The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection is requested to issue a plan to inspect violations in the production and trading of plant varieties, fertilizers, and plant protection drugs; control the use of growth stimulants for fruits, especially focusing on prohibited and uncontrolled chemicals such as Yellow O in durian products.
The Department of Livestock Production and Veterinary Medicine will inspect the import, temporary import-reexport of meat, by-products of livestock and poultry, and products made from livestock and poultry for food and feed purposes. Particular attention will be paid to the trading and transportation of smuggled livestock and poultry at border gates; production and trading of livestock breeds, feed, and veterinary drugs; and fraud in weight after thawing.
The Department of Forestry and Forest Rangers is responsible for inspecting and handling acts of illegal trading and transportation of forest products and rare wild animals and tracing the origin of forest products.
In the field of aquatic products, the Department of Aquatic Products and Fisheries focuses on inspecting contents such as aquatic breeds, feed, and environmental treatment substances used in aquaculture; the use of antibiotics and prohibited chemicals in the production and trading of feed and aquaculture; and handling violations in the traceability of wild-caught aquatic product sources to combat IUU fishing.
Along with the inspection activities, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment also assigns the task of reviewing and proposing amendments and supplements to the current legal regulations that are lacking, outdated, overlapping, or failing to meet practical requirements. The units are responsible for reflecting any difficulties arising during the peak period to promptly remove obstacles and propose effective solutions.
Quick reports and weekly reports will be synthesized and sent to the Prime Minister according to the direction of the National Steering Committee 389 in Document No. 48/VPTT-TH dated May 16, 2025. Monitoring, urging, and checking the progress of implementation will be conducted seriously to ensure compliance with the prescribed time limit. The role and responsibility of the heads of agencies and units are given the highest priority in directing and implementing the plan.
This peak period is not only a temporary administrative measure but also expected to establish long-term discipline in the management of the agricultural materials market, protect consumers, and safeguard the reputation of Vietnam’s agricultural sector in the context of integration.
With the motto of resolute, consistent, and uncompromising action, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment demonstrates its strong determination to contribute to combating smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeiting and gradually restoring order and discipline in agricultural production and business.
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