HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The livestock and relatedsectors’ exports were worth 855.4 million USD in the first nine months of theyear and is expected to reach 1.2 billion USD for the year, according to theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, said 8,800 tonnes of pork were exported for 44 million USD, nearly17,800 tonnes of poultry meat for 18.8 million USD, 7.4 million poultry eggsfor 1.4 million USD, nearly 23,000 tonnes of honey for 28.7 million USD in theperiod, besides, dairy products and animal feed and raw materials for makinganimal feed for 230 million USD and 516 million USD.

Vietnam began exporting processed chicken in 2017 to Japan,one of the most demanding markets in the world, he said.

By the end of last year 1,080 tonnes of processed chicken hadbeen shipped to Japan for nearly 6 million USD.

Total poultry meat exports last year topped 25,762 tonnes,124 percent more than in 2017.

Though volumes had not been large, these exports had greatlyimproved Vietnam’s commercial reputation.

Nguyen Xuan Duong, Acting Director of the Department ofLivestock Husbandry, said they were proof of the efficiency of authorities,capability of livestock enterprises and the quality and safety of Vietnameselivestock products.

According to the ministry, nine Vietnamese companies haveexported chicken eggs and salted eggs to Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan,Korea, Cambodia, Laos, and Australia, while one has exported fertilised chickeneggs to Myanmar.

Enterprises have also exported pigs and sucklings on the hoofand frozen sucklings to Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Honey exports increased strongly in 2008-2018 to reach over40,000 tonnes last year, with the main markets being the US, the EU, Japan, theRepublic of Korea, and Thailand.

The country has exported dairy and dairy products to manycountries and territories.

Last month, TH Milk JSC became the first Vietnamese firm toexport dairy products to China following a protocol signed between the twocountries.

Duong said despite achievements, the sector faced challengesdue to its small scale, poor management, low productivity, poor control ofdiseases, and a lack of linkages between farming, slaughtering and processingin the production chain.

There were also problems with food safety, hygiene anddisease control, he added.

The Strategies for Livestock Development by 2020 and 2030envisages focusing on breeding pigs, poultry, cows for meat, and dairy cows,which could help the country achieve its potential and expand exports.

To achieve its targets, livestock production will bedeveloped by modernising and industrialising farms.

The industry has to reorganise slaughtering and processing toensure hygiene, safety and environmental protection.

Enhancing linkages between businesses, co-operatives,business groups, and small farmers and breeders would be very important fordeveloping the sector in a sustainable manner, Tien said.

The Law on Animal Husbandry, which comes into effect onJanuary 1 next year, would help build a closed animal husbandry industry, increasingexports of livestock products, he added./.