Vietnam will have national portal on product traceability this year

Product traceability applications create confidence for consumers. (Photo: congthuong.vn)

A national portal on tracing the origin of products and goods is expected to be put into operation in the fourth quarter of this year, according to the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality (DSMQ) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Bui Ba Chinh, deputy director of the DSMQ's National Centre for Codes and Barcodes, said by 2025, this portal aims at connecting products and goods traceability systems of all ministries and sectors, including the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the field of market management; Ministry of Finance in the field of tax and customs; and Ministry of Health in the field of food safety, medical equipment, medicines and vaccines.

The product and goods traceability portal helps consumers know about products with clear origin and guaranteed quality and also supports State agencies in preventing commercial fraud.

This portal will play a central role in the traceability system of Vietnam, with the participation of all parties in the supply chain such as manufacturers, packers, transporters, distributors, retailers, traceability solution providers and state management agencies.

The Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality is developing a set of standards to ensure the traceability system of agencies, organisations and enterprises connected to the national portal.

There are currently three national standards for traceability, including requirements for the supply chain of fresh fruits and vegetables; general requirements for the traceability system; and requirements for traceability conformity assessment bodies.

In addition, the National Center for Codes and Barcodes is implementing a series of traceability applications such as application for agricultural products updating electronic diaries and linking all information in the product supply chain so consumers can use a mobile device to scan the QR code for reviewing history of the production and distribution of products.

Especially, there is an application of Vietnamese fruit map supporting e-commerce promotion activities for local fruits. This application is developed to update and monitor all information about fruit production, trend of price and consumption demand.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Department of Science and Technology has submitted to the ministry a plan on implementing, applying and managing the product and goods traceability system until 2025 for products and goods managed by the ministry.

That is also the ministry's task as part of the Prime Minister's Decision 100/QD-TTg on approving the scheme of deploying, applying and managing the traceability system with the goal to build and operate this national portal on product and goods traceability./.