Decision No. 635/QD-TTg dated May 30, 2012 of the Prime Minister approving the Project on yield and quality improvement of products and goods of the agricultural sector to 2020 under the national program on yield and quality improvement of products and goods of Vietnamese enterprises to 2020

DECISION

APPROVING THE PROJECT ON YIELD AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTS AND GOODS OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR TO 2020 UNDER THE NATIONAL PROGRAM ON YIELD AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTS AND GOODS OF VIETNAMESE ENTERPRISES TO 2020

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 712/QD-TTg of May 21, 2010, approving the national program on yield and quality improvement of products and goods of Vietnamese enterprises to 2020;

At the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

DECIDES:

Article 1.To approve the Project on yield and quality improvement of products and goods of the agricultural sector to 2020 under the national program on yield and quality improvement of products and goods of Vietnamese enterprises to 2020, with the following major contents:

I. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

1. Objectives

a/ To raise awareness about the role of improving the yield and quality of products and goods of the agricultural sector, including key agricultural, forest and fishery products and goods, to create added value for the economy and raise income for production, business and service enterprises and persons;

b/ To synchronously apply scientific advances, renew technologies and improve management in order to remarkably raise the yield and quality of key agricultural, forest and fishery products and increase the competitiveness of goods to meet domestic demand and boost export, making contributions to economic development and social security improvement;

c/ To develop, complete and apply a system of standards, technical regulations and management tools, technical processes for production, preliminary processing and preservation to improve the yield and quality of key agricultural, forest and fishery products.

2. Targets

a/ 2012-2015 period:

- 70% of the Ministry’s enterprises will receive guidance, apply scientific advances and renew technologies and their quality control systems to improve the quality and yield of key agricultural, forest and fishery products:

+ Rice: Yield will increase by 1%/year; the rate of over-15%-broken rice will be reduced to under 40% and chalky rice, to 4-5%;

+ Coffee: Yield will be stable, and the area of coffee with certified quality will be increased 3% annually;

+ Tea: Yield will increase by 0.6%/year; 70% of concentrated tea areas will receive VietGAP certificates;

+ Sugarcane: Yield will increase by 4%/year; commercial cane sugar (CCS) will reach 10.5;

+ Vegetables and fruits: Yield will increase by 1%/year; 70% of concentrated vegetable areas will receive VietGAP certificates;

+ Pig: Yield will increase by 5%; 20% of farms will receive VietGAHP certificates;

+ Poultry: Yield will increase by 3%/year; 30% of farms will receive VietGAHP certificates;

+ Tra catfish: Yield will increase by 2.5%/year; 90% of raising areas will receive certificates of safe raising areas;

+ Prawn: Yield will increase by 2%/year; 80% of raising areas will receive certificates of safe raising areas;

+ Material timber of planted forests: Yield will reach 20m3/ha/year; 10% of areas will receive Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificates.

- 80% of national standards applicable to key products and goods will be formulated and reviewed to match international and regional standards; to complete and promulgate technical processes for production, preliminary processing and preservation to serve production;

- 40% of national technical regulations for management of likely unsafe products and goods (group-2 products and goods) will be newly developed and reviewed for conformity;

- 80% of the Ministry’s agricultural enterprises producing key products and goods will formulate and implement yield and quality improvement projects to participate in the Project; and announce their own standards applicable to products and goods they make or trade in;

- To consolidate and raise capacity for quality management agencies from central to local levels; to modernize infrastructure facilities; to build a contingent of quality control officers, specialists and consultants;

- 20% of laboratories testing quality of key agricultural, forest and fishery products will be upgraded to reach international level.

b/ 2016-2020 period:

- All producers and traders of key products and goods will receive guidance, apply scientific advances and renew technologies and quality control systems to improve quality and raise the yield of key products and goods:

+ Rice: Yield will increase by 1%/year; the rate of over-15%-broken rice will be reduced to under 30%, and chalky rice, to 3-4%;

+ Coffee: Yield will be stable, and the area of coffee with certified quality will be increased 4% annually;

+ Tea: Yield will increase by 0.6%/year; all concentrated tea areas will receive VietGAP certificates;

+ Sugarcane: Yield will increase by 5%/year; commercial cane sugar (CCS) will reach 11;

+ Vegetables and fruits: Yield will increase by 1%/year; all concentrated vegetable areas will receive VietGAP certificates;

+ Pig: Yield will increase by 3%; 40% of farms will receive VietGAHP certificates;

+ Poultry: Yield will increase by 2%/year; 50% of farms will receive VietGAHP certificates;

+ Tra catfish: Yield will increase by 2%/year; all raising areas will receive certificates of safe raising areas;

+ Prawn: Yield will increase by 1.5%/year; all raising areas will receive certificates of safe raising areas;

+ Material timber of planted forests: Yield will reach 25m3/ha/year; 30% of areas will receive FSC certificates.

- All national standards in the agricultural sector will match international and regional standards;

- To complete the system of national technical regulations and promulgate all national technical regulations applicable to group-2 products and goods;

- All producers of key agricultural, forest and fishery products and goods will be managed under national technical regulations regarding production conditions to assure safety, hygiene and environment;

- All of the Ministry’s agricultural enterprises producing key products and goods will formulate and implement yield and quality improvement projects; and announce their own standards applicable to products and goods they make or trade in;

- Half of laboratories testing quality of key agricultural, forest and fishery products will be upgraded to reach international level.

II. PROJECT TASKS

1. To conduct public information activities and mobilize enterprises to improve the yield and quality of key agricultural, forest and fishery products

a/ To disseminate and popularize the improvement of the yield and quality of key agricultural, forest and fishery products

- To compile and popularize documents on the role and significance as well as methods of improvement of the yield and quality of key agricultural, forest and fishery products to enterprises and producers;

- To organize public information on and popularize advanced technological processes, technical advances, standards, technical regulations and quality control systems up to international standards, and innovated models and tools;

- To develop central and local television and radio programs featuring enterprises participating in the program that have achieved high yield, quality and economic efficiency and typical cases of applying solutions for yield and quality improvement for wide application in production.

b/ To establish a website to update the Project implementation and application of technical advances, standards and technical regulations and management tools for enterprises’ and producers’ reference and application.

2. To develop and complete standards and technical regulations and the good manufacture practice process for production, preliminary processing, preservation and processing of agricultural, forest and fishery products

a/ To develop and complete standards and technical regulations

- To elaborate a master plan on national standards and technical regulations in the agricultural sector to meet the objectives and requirements for yield and quality improvement and to match international and regional standards;

- To review promulgated national standards and technical regulations and formulate new quality-related standards for forest plant varieties, and animal and aquatic breeds; production regulations and technical processes. Such review and formulation must ensure conformity with international and regional standards, prioritizing standards directly related to key products and goods;

- To formulate and review national technical regulations on conditions for agricultural, forest and fishery production, paying special attention to group-2 products and goods.

b/ To develop and complete technical processes

- To review, complete and develop technical processes for variety and breed production, plantation, tending, harvest, preliminary processing, preservation and processing of agricultural, forest and fishery products to be applied by enterprises, producers and farmers;

- To develop and complete sets of good agricultural practice processes for a number of plants and animals and safe aquaculture.

c/ To train and guide in the application of standards and technical regulations and technical processes

- To train in and disseminate processes, standards and technical regulations for enterprises and producers;

- To guide enterprises and producers in applying quality control systems (GMP, HACCP, ISO, etc.);

- To train managers of enterprises in the formulation and announcement of manufacturer standards, application of national standards, and standard and regulation conformity certification for enterprises’ products and goods.

3. To apply and transfer technical and technological advances and management tools to improve the yield and quality of a number of key agricultural, forest and fishery products

a/ To build models to improve the yield and quality of key products of enterprises in different regions

- To apply and transfer technical advances in varieties, intensive farming, post-harvest loss reduction, processing, application of good agricultural practice process (VietGAP), to apply quality control systems to develop models associating production with processing of high-yield and quality rice in the Mekong delta;

- To apply and transfer technical advances in varieties, tending and improvement, harvest and processing, to apply VietGAP and quality control systems to develop models associating production with processing of high-yield and quality tea meeting food hygiene and safety requirements in northern mountainous and midland regions and Lam Dong province;

- To apply and transfer technical advances in varieties, tending, harvesting and processing, to apply sustainable production processes (4C Code of Conduct, UTZ certification, VietGAP, etc.), to apply quality control systems to developing models associating intensive farming with processing of high-yield and quality coffee meeting food hygiene and safety requirements in the Central Highlands;

- To apply and transfer technical advances in varieties and intensive farming to develop models associating production with processing of high- yield and quality sugarcane in the southeastern, northern central, coastal southern central and Mekong delta regions;

- To apply and transfer technical advances in varieties and apply VietGAP to safe and high-yield vegetables and fruits in the southeastern, Red River delta and Mekong delta regions;

- To apply and transfer technical advances in breed production and commercial raising of tra catfish and prawn associated with processing with high yield and quality (to receive GlobalGAP, HACCP, ISO certification, etc.) in the Mekong delta and central regions;

- To apply and transfer technical advances in breeds, raising and epidemic prevention and control to develop VietGAHP-certified models of biologically safe raising of high-yield and quality pigs and poultry in the Red River delta, central and southeastern regions;

- To apply and transfer technical advances in seeds, planting, tending and management to develop FSC-certified models of planting high-yield and quality acacia and eucalyptus in the northern mountainous and midland, northern central, coastal southern central, southeastern and Central Highlands regions.

b/ Professional training and guidance

- To train managers and workers inside and outside models in technical processes in varieties, intensive farming, tending, raising, pest prevention and control, preliminary processing, preservation and processing for application to production to raise the yield and quality;

- To provide professional guidance for enterprises and production and business establishments inside and outside models to apply advanced quality control systems (HACCP, GMP, ISO, etc.) to producers and processors of agricultural, forest and fishery products for stable maintenance of product and goods quality.

c/ To review and widely apply to production high yield and quality models

- To review and evaluate high yield and quality models, to draw experience for wide application to production;

- To organize study tours for enterprises and producers outside models to visit enterprises’ high yield and quality models;

- To promote models of producing and trading in key products and goods with high yield and quality in the central and local mass media.

4. To raise the capacity of quality management of agricultural, forest and fishery products and goods

a/ To raise capacity and effectiveness of the organizational system and management apparatus in charge of product and goods quality

- Central product quality management system: To consolidate and complete the quality management organizational system for each product line subject to specialized management of general departments and departments. To clearly assign and decentralize tasks to units within the management system of the agriculture and rural development sector;

- Local product quality management system: Provincial-level Agriculture and Rural Development Departments shall take responsibility for managing the quality of agricultural, forest and fishery products in their localities under the Law on Product and Goods Quality;

- Product quality control systems at enterprises: To reorganize quality control sections with appropriate personnel and equipment for examination of their own products under law. b/ To train human resources

- To intensify training in the formulation of standards and technical regulations and quality control for human resources of the whole agricultural sector and for key officials and quality control officers of enterprises.

- To elaborate master plans and plans to train qualified quality control officers and analysts;

- To regularly provide professional training in management skills, technical advances, quality improvement solutions, and standards and technical regulations for quality control officers, agricultural extension officers, assayers and analysts in the whole sector.

c/ To plan and invest in the upgrading of physical foundations and equipment for quality management of agricultural, forest and fishery products

- To review and evaluate laboratories of each field and the whole sector. To invest in or upgrade and complete from 1 to 2 laboratories for quality testing of key products and goods of the agricultural sector and upgrade some specialized laboratories into national laboratories for testing and certification;

- Enterprises will increase analyzing equipment and facilities necessary for laboratories to examine and analyze by themselves common quality specifications and levels on residues of chemicals, microorganisms and heavy metals of consumer interest;

- To incorporate the plan on capacity building for quality management of agricultural, forest and fishery products and salt during 2011-2015 under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 809/QD-TTg of May 30, 2011, into the building of national testing and certification laboratories and upgrading of specialized laboratories for quality testing of agricultural, forestry and fishery products, and to train human resources for quality management.

d/ To build a quality certification system in the whole sector

- To build and develop a network of regionally and internationally recognized quality certification organizations meeting demands for assessment of group-2 and key products and goods;

- To encourage non-business organizations and enterprises to set up organizations to certify quality of products and goods of producers and traders of agricultural, forest and fishery products, and apply good agricultural practice processes (VietGAP, VietGAHP, etc.);

- To form a system of organizations for certification of safe production conditions; to assist processors of agricultural, forest and fishery products in applying quality control systems (HACCP, ISO, etc.)

III. ORGANIZATION OF PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

1. Based on the Project’s objectives, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall annually summarize, balance, plan and estimate state budget expenditures and submit them to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment. State budget expenditure estimates for the tasks of the Project shall be included in annual state budget expenditure estimates of ministries and sectors. Approved state budget expenditure plans and estimates for the Project’s tasks shall be assigned to implementing units.

2. Funds for the Project implementation include funds allocated to the national program on yield and quality improvement of products and goods of Vietnamese enterprises to 2020, funds for science, funds for agricultural extension; funds of enterprises and production and business establishments and other lawful funds:

a/ State budget funds shall be used for public information and knowledge dissemination; training in standards and quality for experts, trainers and key personnel of enterprises; formulation of master plans and plans; development of national standards and technical regulations; research and assessment of product and goods quality; building of exemplary models and support for spreading these models; and development of a conformity assessment network for state management in the agricultural sector;

b/ Funds of enterprises shall be used for application of scientific advances and technological renovation, yield and quality improvement of products and goods; building of testing capacity in service of production and business; formulation of manufacturer standards; professional training in standards and technical regulations, quality control and conformity assessment for managers and laborers of enterprises; and application of yield and quality control systems and improvement tools;

c/ Other lawful funds: Funds supported by organizations and individuals shall be used for expert training, formulation and application of standards and technical regulations and expansion of public information and communication.

3. To increase international cooperation to learn and exchange experience in activities related to standards and technical regulations, quality control, and scientific and technological application; to raise the capacity of testing product and goods quality to international level to serve conformity assessment activities; to boost negotiations and signing of agreements on mutual recognition of conformity assessment results with other countries.

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors and provincial-level People’s Committees in, implementing and administering all activities of the Project;

- To summarize needs and proposals of key agricultural sub-sectors and associations of related business lines, to specifically plan the Project implementation for each year and the 2012-2020 period;

- To annually examine, summarize and report on the Project implementation to the Prime Minister; to conduct preliminary and final reviews and evaluation of results and effectiveness of the Project implementation.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology shall coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in allocating funds for the timely performance of the Project’s tasks, and examining and inspecting the Project implementation.

3. Ministries, sectors, provincial-level People’s Committees and professional associations shall coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in effectively performing on schedule their assigned tasks under the Project.

Article 2.This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3.Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement this Decision.-