Some five pig-breeding farms in this southern province have been fined for using banned chemical substances, such as lean-meat agents, that have harmful side effects, inspectors said.
Some five pig-breeding farms in this southern province have been fined for using banned chemical substances, such as lean-meat agents, that have harmful side effects, inspectors said.
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| A farmer feeds pigs at a breeding farm in southern Dong Nai Province. Banned chemical substances, such as lean-meat agents, have been detected in many farms in Tay Ninh and Dong Nai Provinces. |
Tran Van Thanh, an inspector from the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department, told Thanh Nien (Youth) newspaper that five of the nine samples taken by the department from these breeding farms had tested positive for salbutamol, which was banned for breeders in 2002.
The farms were fined VND80 million (US$3,600) in total, of which three of them received the highest fine of VND20 million ($909) each.
Meanwhile, in southern Dong Nai Province, the Veterinary Department found 17 out of 84 samples have tested positive for salbutamol in the first eight months of the year.
Each violator was fined VND15 million ($680).
The Department has proposed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should closely control the source of the banned substance, increase the fines on violations and destroy the entire shipment of goods that test positive for banned substances.
In addition, criminal penalties must be imposed on breeders with multiple violations on their record.
Last month, more than 300 pig-breeding households in Dong Nai Province signed a commitment to refrain from using banned chemical substances.
(Source:VNS)
