ChilePork meets delegation from Vietnam’s National Assembly to move forward with meat health authorizations

As part of their official visit to Chile, a delegation from Vietnam’s National Assembly met with ChileCarne officials. The delegation was led by Tran Quang Phuong, vice-president of the Assembly; Pham Truoong Giang, the country’s ambassador in Chile, and included 12 other Assembly members. The meeting was a strategic step towards obtaining the health authorizations necessary for exporting Chilean meat to the Vietnamese market.

The Vietnamese delegation visited Chile from September 24 to 27 and met various Chilean officials from the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, as well as members of Parliament.

ChilePork invited the Vietnamese delegation to two events with the pork, chicken, and turkey industry, to expedite the process of obtaining the health authorizations which would pave the way for Chilean meat exports to the Vietnam, including the authorization process for Chilean slaughter plants that will help begin exports sooner. The Chilean poultry and pork sector offers advantages in biosecurity, food safety, and sustainability, which are key for Vietnamese consumers.

The Vietnamese delegation enjoyed a cooking show hosted by chef Rodrigo Barañao, who showcased various tasty pork-based recipes. They also visited Agrosuper’s Rosario slaughter plant, gaining firsthand insight into the high quality standards under which Chilean products are made. Every day around the world 11 million people enjoy a serving of Chilean pork and 4 million a serving of chicken produced in Chile.

Vietnam is a strategic market for Chilean exporters. With a population of 97 million, 35% of which live in developing urban areas, the country has seen one of the fastest economic growth rates in Asia, although its annual per capita income remains at 3,300 USD.

Pork is the predominant protein source in Vietnam, accounting for 70% of total consumption. On average, Vietnamese people eat 33 kilos of pork every year. With a deeply-rooted tradition of eating pork, Vietnam is the seventh-largest pork producer worldwide, and the sixth-largest consumer, overtaking markets such as Spain or Japan.

Prior to the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in 2019 and 2020, over 95% of Vietnam’s domestic demand was met with local production. However, the disease resulted in mass culling of livestock, leading to price increases and a higher demand for imports.

In this scenario, Chilean pork represents a high-value option. During their visit, the Vietnamese delegation learned more about Chile’s status as an “island of biosecurity”, free from diseases like ASF, as well as the high standards of health, biosecurity, and food safety in production, supported by the local health authority, the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), which is internationally renowned.

Following the visit, ChileCarne’s Business Manager, Rodrigo Castañón – which represents the sector brand ChilePork, with which Chilean pork is recognized in different countries around the world – explained: “Vietnam is an interesting trading partner for Chile’s pork industry thanks to the competitive advantages offered by the safety and quality of our meat products, as well as their biosecurity standards and sustainability efforts. Moreover, there are preferential tariffs thanks to the FTA between both countries -in force since 2014-, and now the CPTPP. Both SAG and the industry have undergone a long authorization for meat exports to Vietnam, and we are optimistic that this significant visit, along with our upcoming public-private mission to Hanoi, which will be led by the Minister of Agriculture Esteban Valenzuela, will help us complete the process.”