HANOI: Beef imported from Australia, and the US is gaining ground in Vietnam at a cheap price. Specifically, beef is priced at USD 6.58 – 10.97/kg, about 30 – 40% cheaper than local beef, despite the high import tax. Deputy Director of Veterinary Department Dam Xuan Thanh confirmed that there has been no ‘out-dated’ imported beef discovered and Australian beef imported into Vietnam is strictly controlled.
Mr Thanh explained that the price of some frozen beef products imported from the US is cheap possibly because they are not favoured cuts in the country. According to the General Department of Customs, in the first two months of this year, Vietnam imported 2297 tonnes of beef from the US and Australia, valued at USD 15.5 million.
