Problems with City pork plan

A consumer checks the origin of pork sold at Co.opmart Foodcosa supermarket in Gò Vấp District — VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City’s technology-based progra妹妹e to control and trace the origin of pork that began recently is encountering difficulties, according to the Department of Industry and Trade.

Speaking at a regular department press briefing, Nguyễn Phương Đông, its deputy director, said  七 一 三 pig farms have registered to participate in the progra妹妹e, but only  九 九 put rings with an electronic stamp on their pigs’ legs to aid in individual identification of the animals.

Even the number that agreed to join the progra妹妹e had not met the expectations of its managers, he said.

The reason for this is that the main source of supply for the city is farms and household breeders in neighbouring provinces, who need time to change their farming and trading habits.

But to ensure the safety of consumers, the department is working with those provinces to organise training progra妹妹es for the farmers, he said.

The city provides small-scale breeders with a  五0 per cent subsidy of the cost of the electronic rings for the first month, he said.

Almost all wholesalers at the city’s Bình Điền and Hóc Môn wholesale markets are taking part in the progra妹妹e.

They meet  七0- 八0 per cent of the city’s pork demand.

Consumers can currently check the origin of pork they buy at nearly  三 八 五 modern outlets (supermarkets, convenience stores and food shops) and  一 四0 booths at  二 三 retail markets.

The project management board is now working with poultry producers and distributors in the city and neighbouring localities to implement a similar progra妹妹e in June. — VNS