(VOVworld)- The spokesperson for the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Le Hai Binh told reporters on Monday that Vietnam was disappointed with the US Department of Agriculture’s plan to inspect fish of Siluriformes family including tra and basa fish in Vietnam.

Tra fish harvest in An Giang

In response to reporters’ queries on Vietnam’s reaction to the US Department of Agriculture’s Inspection Program on fish of Siluriformes family in Vietnam, Binh said Vietnamese tra and basa fish are Vietnam’s main export items to the US market. Vietnamese companies operate under the market mechanism and always abide by food safety regulations when exporting these products to the US market. Therefore, it’s not necessary to implement the inspection program on these products in Vietnam. Vietnam and many American organizations, agencies and congressmen opposed this program. ASEAN countries are concerned about possible effect that this program has on their exports. Vietnam is worried that the program will become a non-tariff trade barrier which is likely to seriously impact Vietnam’s exports and Vietnamese farmers’ lives as well as American consumers’ interests. Vietnam will work with the US Department of Agriculture and closely follow the implementation of the program to ensure legitimate interests of both countries.