Finally, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has decided to include Vietnam’s pangasius in the catfish category. USDA will name pangasius in the catfish category according to Farm Bill 2008. Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP General Secretary, said currently there have been no official information from the U.S. administration on whether Viet Nam Pangasius is listed under catfish group or not.
Regarding the quality of the Pangasius nothing has been said yet though the quality is under control of USDA instead of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as before. So far the catfish definition is under consultation. The U.S.’s recent decision to extend its review of the rules on catfish food safety inspections proposed by the USDA showed that legislators are considering the application of these rules, and other related issues rather than food safety.
Hoe said that the rule will create a fairly complicated control system that will eventually cause difficulties for the export of Vietnamese Pangasius to the U.S., as well as both sides’ efforts to increase bilateral trade. Now the pangasius farmers and processros will have to pay more attention to the quality of the product in all stages in order to bost the business.
