Vietnam agri news update - April 2025

Vietnam to Amend Food Safety Regulations: Potential Changes and Compliance Strategies

The Vietnamese government is currently revising Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP (“Decree 15”), which governs food business operations under the Law on Food Safety.

Led by the Vietnam Food Safety Authority (VFA), the proposed amendments seek to strengthen administrative controls and enhance food safety oversight.

More details at: Vietnam to Amend Food Safety Regulations: Potential Changes

Vietnam Eases Barriers on U.S. Agricultural Imports

Directly following President Donald Trump’s announcement, Vietnam has responded to the new tariffs by consulting businesses, cutting some import duties, easing technical barriers, curbing origin fraud and boosting imports.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Đỗ Đức Duy stated that Vietnam is actively working to reduce import barriers for U.S. agricultural products such as maize, soybeans, fruit, beef, chicken, and genetically modified (GM) products used in animal feed and aquaculture. Of the 61 GM product applications submitted by the U.S., 60 have been processed, with just one pending additional information.

More details at: Việt Nam takes swift, proactive actions in response to new US tariff policy

Vietnam Lowers Import Taxes on Various Goods

Vietnam has issued Decree No. 73/2025/ND-CP, adjusting preferential import tax rates on several goods including cars, wood products, ethanol, frozen chicken thighs, nuts, and fruits like apples and cherries. The changes, which revise parts of a 2023 tax schedule, took effect immediately on March 31, 2025.

For frozen chicken thighs, the rate has dropped from 20% to 15%. Pistachios (unpeeled) now face a reduced rate of 5%, down from 15%. Almonds go from 10% to 5%, fresh apples from 8% to 5%, cherries from 10% to 5%, and raisins from 12% to 5%.

More details at: Tax cuts for imported cherries, apples, chicken thighs, vehicles effective today

Vietnamese seafood industry to adapt to new EU regulations

The Vietnamese seafood industry is adjusting to new European Union (EU) regulations on maximum residue levels (MRLs) for inorganic arsenic in fish and seafood. The EU's draft amendment to Regulation (EU) No 2023/915, expected to take effect in July, sets MRLs ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 ppm for various seafood products, including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

Though inorganic arsenic has not been detected in Vietnamese seafood in recent years, the industry is proactively enhancing its quality control to comply with these regulations. The Vietnam SPS Office is coordinating with relevant authorities to monitor and ensure compliance, focusing on water quality in aquaculture environments.

With the EU increasing inspections of Vietnamese agricultural products, exporters are investing in technology and refining production processes to meet EU food safety standards. Vietnamese seafood, which holds a 3.7% share of the EU's seafood imports, continues to see growth, particularly under the EVFTA.

Source: Vietnamese seafood industry proactively adapts to new EU regulations

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