Vietnam Mandates VFA Certification for Imported Aquafeed Starting June 15, 2026

Vietnam’s new regulatory requirement—effective June 15, 2026—introduces mandatory import registration with the Vietnam Directorate of Animal Health (VFA) for all imported aquafeed, significantly impacting export operations from China’s South and East China regions.

Regulatory Update: New Import Registration Requirement

On May 31, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (MARD) issued Circular No. 28/2026/TT-BNNPTNT, stipulating that all imported aquafeed—including compound feeds, additive premixes, and functional feeds—must obtain an import registration certificate issued by the Vietnam Directorate of Animal Health (VFA), effective June 15, 2026. Each product label must clearly display the assigned VFA registration number.

Impact Across the Aquafeed Supply Chain

Exporters and Trading Enterprises

Direct exporters face revised customs clearance procedures; shipments without valid VFA registration will be detained or rejected at Vietnamese ports. This extends delivery timelines and increases documentation lead time, especially for first-time applicants unfamiliar with VFA’s application workflow.

Feed Ingredient Suppliers

Suppliers of raw materials and functional additives used in aquafeed formulations must ensure traceability and compliance alignment with VFA’s technical dossier requirements—particularly for novel ingredients or proprietary blends requiring safety substantiation.

Feed Manufacturers and Blenders

Manufacturers must adapt labeling systems to incorporate VFA registration numbers and update product specifications accordingly. Batch-level traceability and consistency between registered formulations and actual production become critical for audit readiness.

Logistics and Compliance Service Providers

Third-party agents supporting registration, translation of technical dossiers, label verification, and customs representation will see heightened demand—but also greater scrutiny on accuracy, as errors may trigger re-submission delays or non-compliance penalties.

Key Actions for Exporting Companies

Initiate VFA Registration Well Ahead of Deadline

Applications require submission of product composition, manufacturing process flow, quality control protocols, and Vietnamese-language labels. Given processing times and potential requests for supplementary information, companies should begin preparation no later than early April 2026.

Review and Revise Product Labeling

All packaging and accompanying commercial documents must include the official VFA registration number—positioned visibly and legibly per MARD’s labeling guidance. Digital assets (e.g., e-catalogs, B2B portals) must reflect updated labeling data before shipment.

Align Internal Documentation with VFA Requirements

Technical files must demonstrate compliance with Vietnamese feed safety standards, including limits on contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, mycotoxins) and adherence to permitted additive usage levels. Supporting test reports must be issued by accredited laboratories.

Assess Impact on Order Fulfillment Cycles

Extended lead times for certification, label adaptation, and customs coordination necessitate adjustments to sales forecasting, inventory planning, and customer communication—especially for time-sensitive aquaculture cycles tied to monsoon or breeding seasons.

Industry Perspective: A Shift Toward Formalized Market Access

Analysis shows this regulation marks a structural tightening of Vietnam’s aquafeed market access—not merely a procedural update. From an industry perspective, it reflects a broader regional trend toward harmonizing feed safety governance with veterinary public health objectives. What deserves closer attention is how VFA’s implementation rigor—such as review timelines, interpretation of ‘functional feeds’, and acceptance of foreign GMP certifications—will shape real-world compliance burdens. Observably, manufacturers with pre-existing ASEAN or EU-aligned quality systems may navigate this transition more efficiently than those relying solely on domestic Chinese standards.

Strategic Implications for Global Feed Trade

This measure underscores Vietnam’s intent to strengthen feed traceability, reduce reliance on unverified imports, and align its regulatory posture with international animal health frameworks. While not introducing outright bans, it raises entry requirements for foreign suppliers—making regulatory preparedness as critical as product performance. For exporters, long-term competitiveness will increasingly hinge on proactive compliance integration—not reactive certification chasing.

Source Verification Note

This article is based exclusively on the provided title, event date (June 15, 2026), and summary describing MARD Circular No. 28/2026/TT-BNNPTNT and its implications for aquafeed imports into Vietnam. Specific official source links were not provided in the input and should be verified continuously. Stakeholders are advised to monitor updates from the Vietnam Directorate of Animal Health (VFA), MARD’s official portal, and Vietnam Customs for implementation guidelines, application templates, and enforcement clarifications.