The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has splashed out 1.5 million USD on three machines designed to monitor pesticide levels on fruit in an attempt to enhance food safety on imports.

Director of MARD's Plant Protection Department Nguyen Xuan Hong said authorities would sample up to 30 percent of goods batches suspected to have food safety issues. Contaminated batches will be re-exported, he added.

As part of the crackdown, Hong revealed that repeat violations could lead to a temporary ban on imports from the producing zone and export company.-VNA