Written by: People's Daily
Posted on: May 24, 2018 | 
| 中文
Kiwi Fruit from Italy
Featured and quality agricultural products from other parts of the world, such as Italian kiwifruits, American apples, Spanish peaches and Thai rice, could all be found at the 9th China International Agro-products Trading Fair held in Shanghai, China. About 100 domestic and overseas companies exhibited their products, which attracted nearly 500 government officials, experts, scholars and businessmen from China, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Spain, Poland, Mexico, Chile and Australia.
At the trading fair, a dazzling variety of products dressed up the colorful exhibition area, with fruits spreading their overpowering fragrance. “These are fresh and healthy Italian kiwifruits that we picked up directly from Europe.” An Italian dealer introduced to his fruits to the visitors, while pointing to some fresh kiwifruits neatly placed on the stand. “The place of origin is backed by the Alps, and surrounded by the ocean in three directions, with rich soil and abundant sunlight. So the Italian kiwifruits are plump and similar in size, unique in sour-sweet ratio and sweet in taste.”
Besides agro-products, some companies also brought demonstration of their agricultural production technologies. “Container plant factory based on LED lighting can efficiently grow and produce vegetables with just water and light,” claimed the staff of a Japanese company. They introduced their products, equipped with the system of high-efficiency lighting, mixed with nutrient solution and temperature and humidity control, which can control the growth and standardize the production of plants in converted containers. Currently, vegetables that can be grown by using this technology include lettuce, coriander and spinach.
“We obtained the Chinese market access qualification last year, and did not expect to get a potential partner on the very first day of this fair,” said Xia Hong, representative of the China Office of Polish Trading Company. They came to initial cooperation intent, with a wholesaler from Inner Mongolia, China. “From farm to table, we adhere to the high-standard production and management model. We are mainly engaged in fish, fishery products and dairy products,” said Xia Hong.
“During the Double Eleven Shopping Carnival alone, the sales of Malaysian white coffee amounted to 600 million yuan.”Aszmy Mahmood Yusof Mohamed, agricultural counselor of Malaysian Embassy to China, was optimistic about the prospects for agricultural products trade between China and Malaysia. “Malaysia’s palm oil, rubber, pineapple and seafood are quite popular in China. We hope to increase fish and high-value agro-products export to China in the future. In the meantime, we have also introduced a number of preferential policies to attract foreign investment. We welcome Chinese companies to invest in Malaysia.”
Martin Olde Monnikhof, agricultural counselor of the Royal Netherlands Embassy to China, thought that agriculture would play a very important role in international relations, especially in China-Netherlands relations. The Netherlands can provide high-quality products, services and technology worldwide. The two countries can efficiently produce high-quality food, by exchanging knowledge and introducing technology.
“The report of the 19th CPC National Congress put forward the rural revitalization strategy, which will bring unprecedented development opportunities for the extensive rural area in China” said Park Hyun Chool, President of South Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation based in Seoul. He said that agro-products wholesale market is a bridge between producers and consumers. “On the one hand, many small-scale producers can form associations for centralized supply to ensure product quality and profit; on the other hand, wholesale market can provide better service to consumers, by offering producers timely and useful information and production training in accordance with the former’ s preference,” said Park Hyun Chool.
Product quality has always been a consumer’s biggest concern. How to ensure the quality and safety of imported agro-products? “Foreign agricultural products that enter Chinese market must go through the following steps: first, the two countries should sign an intergovernmental protocol, which is a basic market access condition, and the process takes two to three years or may even last for over 10 years. Secondly, after the signing of the protocol, export enterprises should register to meet a series of standards and procedures. Finally, when the products arrive at the Chinese ports, the entry-exit inspection and quarantine department shall carry out inspection and quarantine, to ensure the quality of the products,” said Wang Xin, president of China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association.
Liu Zhiren, counselor of the State Council, and fellow of the Research Center for Rural Economy under Ministry of Agriculture of China, thinks that as China continues its policy of opening-up, its market scale for imported agro-products will also increase. Meanwhile, the Chinese consumers’ living standard has kept improving in recent years, and they expect to have a better life, which is growing year by year. All this requires foreign enterprises to further do research on the Chinese market, and continuously improve their product quality. “Only with new thinking and ideas, and ensuring high standard and quality, can foreign agro-products adapt to the Chinese market demand,” said Liu.
Shortening logistical time and improving transportation quality are also a topic of concern for the participants. “Chilean fruits like cherries, avocado and blueberries are very popular in China. But the two countries are far from each other, with a vast ocean in between. So it is necessary to promote faster and more convenient transportation.”Carlos Parra, minister of the Chilean Embassy to China, said that thanks to concerted efforts, currently the shipping time between Chile and China has been shortened from more than 30 days to 14 days; airport construction has also been stepped up, and a direct flight will hopefully be launched between the two countries.
Translated by Xu Donglin
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