August 22, 2008

Vietnam will tighten control over the quality of animal feed material imports used for feed production by assessing acid deoxyribonucleic (ADN), according to deputy minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Vu Van Tam.

Tam said the MARD has asked the Animal Health Department to use two AND assessing plants in August and instructed the Environment and Science Technology Department to draw up standards.

Domestic feed producers and livestock breeders are facing difficulties due to repeated hikes of imported feed prices, which have increased 20-30 percent from early 2008. Prices are expected to continue soaring by year-end even though the Ministry of Finance has zeroed the import tax on animal feed.

The MARD is also concerned about imports of ruminate animal feed that may contain diseases.

Infected feed may cause tension or death to cattle, said Hoang Kim Giao, head of the Animal Husbandry Department.

Vietnam's feed producers currently meet only 70 percent of domestic demand. Vietnam has to import 20-30 percent of starch feed such as corn, and 70-80 percent of protein feeds like fishmeal and bone meal.