Contaminated tamarind imported from Indonesia (Photo: baomoi.com)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development made the decision on January 19 after it found that the products are likely to be contaminated with the insect Caryedon serratus Olivier which is subject to Vietnam’s plant quarantine.
The suspension will take effect after 60 days since January 19.
The insect, which is listed among dangerous species, can cause huge economic losses to stored agricultural products.
In 2016, the Phytosanitary Authority under the Plant Protection Department detected the insect Caryedon serratus Olivier in over 5,000 tonnes of peanuts and tamarinds imported from Indonesia.
The authority also found nearly 1,000 tonnes of peanut imported from Indonesia contaminated with the insect within 11 days from January 5 – 11, 2017.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on January 6 issued a decision to halt tamarind imports from Indonesia for a similar reason.
However, Indonesia gave no feedback although the Plant Protection Department had notified Indonesia’s authorised agencies about the issue.-VNA
