China: Output of all major farm produce to rise in 2011

The output of all major agricultural products will have increased in China this year, marking the first time for such an event in 16 years, a senior agricultural official said Wednesday. The country's vegetable and fruit output is expected to hit 677 million tons and 142 million tons in 2011, up 4 percent and 8 percent, respectively, year-on-year, Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu said at the annual central conference on rural work. The output of meat, fowl and eggs, and dairy products will have risen 0.3 percent, 0.4 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively, from one year earlier, while the output of aquatic products will have climbed 4 percent to top 56 million tons, Han said.

Meanwhile, both the quality and safety of China's farm produce have improved, with the acceptance rates of vegetables and aquatic products rising to 97.4 percent and 96.8 percent, respectively. Han said the country has adopted a series of measures to guarantee a stable supply of agricultural products and has also stepped up inspections to ensure food safety. The Ministry of Agriculture will work to increase the vegetable output, ensure mutton and beef supplies in minority areas, and strengthen the monitoring of pig output and market changes in order to prevent excessive declines in pork prices next year, Han said.

Source: chinadaily.com.cn