Investigating suspected exported pepper ‘extraction’ at a port

Following receiving a letter from the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA) regarding the shortages of commodities at Cat Lai port, Deputy General Director of Saigon Newport Corporation, Bui Van Quy, promptly submitted a written reply.

At present, the functional departments of Saigon Newport Corporation are collaborating with the necessary authorities and agencies to authenticate the information regarding the shortages reported by the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association.

The possibility of items being lost can occur at several stages, and there is no evidence to corroborate that it occurred at the port. It is necessary to verify the movement of products from the seller’s warehouse to the buyer’s warehouse, which involves several steps in the supply chain such as sea transport, unloading at the port, and transportation from the port to the importer’s warehouse. This verification is important to prevent misunderstandings and safeguard the reputation of the port.

Publishing this material on the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association’s website before receiving an official conclusion from the authorities could potentially harm the reputation and brand of Saigon Newport Corporation.

Saigon Newport Corporation, in its response letter, has formally requested the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association to collaborate with Saigon Newport and related entities in order to investigate and provide clear explanations regarding the matter of commodities shortages. Additionally, Saigon Newport has urged the Association to remove the present information from its website.

Earlier, the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association stated that five members of the Association had received reports from import partners regarding insufficient quantities of pepper and coffee found at the destination port, in comparison to the agreed-upon amounts.

These companies confirmed that the container weight tickets obtained at the factory were consistent with the weight tickets obtained at the port. In addition, the companies submitted supplementary documentation as proof to demonstrate that the merchandise remained intact and protected from the moment it was packaged at the factory until it arrived at Cat Lai port.