The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) will inspect adherence to inorganic fertiliser production regulations at production and processing enterprises.

The market management departments will be responsible for examination and then the inspection team of the ministry will recheck the departments’ inspection in key areas.

According to minister Tran Anh Tuan, the inspection is aimed at ensuring compliance with the regulations on producing and processing inorganic fertiliser by businesses.

The purpose is also to detect, prevent and deal with violations in production and uncover unlicensed firms to protect the interest of customers, he said.

It also aims to determine shortcomings in the management of fertiliser in general to timely report to competent authorities to deal, adjust and complete current regulations on fertilser management.

The inspection will help restore order in the fertiliser market, considered to have poor quality and fake goods, which were creating problems for farmers over time.

The minister also ordered inspection teams to not create obstacles for businesses.

According to statistics of the Viet Nam Fertiliser Association, the country currently has more than 1,000 enterprises producing fertilisers of thousands of different varieties. However, businesses which do not have licence continue to exist.

A report of the Market Management Department showed that more than 2,000 cases of violation had been uncovered in 2016, increasing by 150 per cent compared with 2015, and administrative fines had reached VND22.7 billion (US$1 million).

The inspection will begin on March 15. — VNS