MAE announces procedures for granting import aquafeed permits

Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued Circular No. 16/2026/TT-BNNMT regulating the management of aquatic species, aquafeed, and aquaculture environmental treatment products.

This stipulates the procedures and sequence for granting import permits for aquafeed and aquaculture environmental treatment products, as follows:

The competent authority to issue or reissue import permits for aquafeed and aquaculture environmental treatment products under the provisions of Clause 2, Article 36 of the Fisheries Law is the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee where the organization or individual conducts trials, scientific research, or displays products at fairs or exhibitions.

The dossier for importing aquafeed and aquaculture environmental treatment products includes: an import registration application following Form No. 05 in Appendix VII issued together with this Circular; a certificate confirming the organization’s arrangement or participation in a fair or exhibition in Viet Nam (for imports intended for display at fairs or exhibitions), containing complete details on the event’s date and location, product information (product name, main ingredients, uses, instructions for use, storage instructions), quantity, weight, plan for handling the products at the end of the fair or exhibition, and the responsibilities of the relevant parties.

The research proposal must be approved in accordance with the provisions of the law on science and technology (for cases of import for research purposes).

The procedure for granting import permits for aquafeed and aquaculture environmental treatment products is as follows: Within 4 working days from the date of receipt of a complete dossier, the Department of Agriculture and Environment shall conduct an appraisal and submit it to the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee for consideration and decision to issue the import permit to the organization or individual according to Form No. 06 in Appendix VII issued together with this Circular. In cases where the permit is not granted, a written notice must be provided with the reasons clearly stated.

In cases where the paper import permit for aquafeed or aquaculture environmental treatment products is lost, damaged, or when there is a change of address for the importing organization or individual, the organization or individual shall submit an application according to Form No. 05 in Appendix VII issued together with this Circular to the authority specified in Clause 1 of this Article. Within 2 working days from the date of receipt of the application, the Department of Agriculture and Environment shall conduct an appraisal and submit it to the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee to reissue the permit according to Form No. 06 in Appendix VII issued together with this Circular. If the permit is not reissued, a written response stating the reasons must be provided.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment shall supervise the participation of organizations and individuals registering imports in fairs, exhibitions, and scientific research activities.

For the import of live aquatic animals for use as aquafeed: The procedures and processes for importing aquatic species permitted for commercial use in Viet Nam for aquafeed purposes shall comply with Clause 1, Article 36 of the Fisheries Law and Article 15 of Government Decree No. 41/2026/ND-CP dated January 25, 2026, detailing certain provisions and enforcement measures of the Fisheries Law. In cases where imported aquatic species for aquafeed are not listed in the Catalogue of Aquatic Species Permitted for Commercial Use in Viet Nam, the organization or individual shall conduct trials in accordance with Article 12 of Government Decree No. 41/2026/ND-CP dated January 25, 2026, detailing certain provisions and enforcement measures of the Fisheries Law.

If imported aquafeed or aquaculture environmental treatment products entering Viet Nam are found to pose risks to quality, the environment, or biosafety, the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee shall consider and decide to inspect the production management system of aquafeed and aquaculture environmental treatment products in the exporting country. The inspection team shall include the Department of Agriculture and Environment and relevant units.

The inspection shall cover the legal framework on quality management, environmental protection, and biosafety in the production of aquafeed and aquaculture environmental treatment products, as well as the enforcement capacity of the regulatory authority in the exporting country; Conditions ensuring quality, environmental protection, and biosafety at the exporting facility producing aquafeed or aquaculture environmental treatment products for export to Viet Nam; Notification, public disclosure of inspection results, and the decision on measures to handle each specific case.

Hong Tham