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NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAM IN TRADE COUNCIL CHINA - MARCH 2014 Nr.3 · 2014 China: News from the Food Team - Export Figures - Upcoming Events - News Flash FOOD FISHERIES AGRICULTURE DANISH STATE VISIT TO CHINA

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NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAM IN TRADE COUNCIL CHINA - MARCH 2014

Nr.3 · 2014

China: News from the Food Team - Export Figures - Upcoming Events - News Flash

FOODFISHERIESAGRICULTURE

DANISH STATEVISIT TO CHINA

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THE FOOD TEAM IN TRADE COUNCIL CHINA

Marie Louise Flach de NeergaardMinister CounsellorTeam leaderE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-10-8532 9987

Liu QiangCommercial Officer E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-10-8532 9920

Shan He (Grace)Commercial OfficerE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-10-8532 9915

Li GuoCommercial OfficerE-mail: [email protected]: +86-10-8632 9995

Mette SivebÆk KnudsenCommercial OfficerE-mail: [email protected]: +86-10-8532 9998

Peter Christian Binau-HansenCommercial InternE-mail: [email protected]: +86-10-8532 9926

Lydia JiangCommercial OfficerE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-21-6209 0500 + 226

Lulu LiInnovation OfficerE-mail: [email protected]: +86-6085 2009

Daniela ZhengCommercial Officer E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-23-6372 5161

Kamilla Hye ElverdalCommercial InternE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-23-6383 6008

Jianru Cen (Jane)Commercial officerE-mail: [email protected] +86-20-2879 7320

Suping HsuCommercial OfficerE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +886-2-2718 2101 ext. 19

BEIJING SHANGHAI

CHONGQING

GUANGZHOU

The Food TeamTrade Council China

TAIPEI

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KINA.UM.DK

Lydia JiangCommercial OfficerE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-21-6209 0500 + 226

Lulu LiInnovation OfficerE-mail: [email protected]: +86-6085 2009

Daniela ZhengCommercial Officer E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-23-6372 5161

Kamilla Hye ElverdalCommercial InternE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86-23-6383 6008

Jianru Cen (Jane)Commercial officerE-mail: [email protected] +86-20-2879 7320

Suping HsuCommercial OfficerE-mail: [email protected] Phone: +886-2-2718 2101 ext. 19

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAMRoyal State Visit to China - accompanied by the Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries 4Porc-Ex Breeding initiates joint venture on a SPF pigs farm 6Chr. hansen opens new Global Expertise Center in Shanghai 7Eksportstart 2014 8

EXPORT FIGURESDanish agriculture and food export to China 9Chinese food inflation 10

UPCOMING EVENTSDenmark Day and pavilion at CAHE in Qingdao 18-20 May 11Join the Danish pavilion at BioFach exhibition in Shanghai 22-24 May 12Invitation to Open Denmark Day 2014 in Beijing 31 May 13

NEWS FLASHAgricultural reforms 14Food safety 18Bird flue 27Goat plague 27Grain 28Meat 29Farming 34Dairy 37Beverages 38Agri-food 40

EDITED BYMarie Louise Flach de Neergaard Peter Christian Binau-HansenMinister Counsellor Commercial InternFood, Agriculture and Fisheries Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

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ROYAL STATE VISIT TO CHINA - ACCOMPANIED BY THE MINISTER FOR FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Consort will pay a State Visit to China on 24-28 April 2014. The Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr. Dan Jørgensen, will accompany the Queen and Prince Consort on

the entire trip around China.

In three weeks from today, The Queen and Prince Consort will initiate a state visit with a intense pro-gramme including events in Beijing, Nanjing, Su-zhou and Shanghai.

Business delegationThe State Visit offers a networking, relation strength-ening and marketing opportunity for Danish compa-nies with respect to authorities, existing and new partners, suppliers and customers in China.

Participation in the Danish business delegation pre-sents a rare opportunity to access Chinese authori-ties and high-level decision-makers from the private and public sector and to position your company as a relevant and valuable business partner to Chinese counterparts.

Focus on food and agricultureChina continues to be Denmark’s largest growth ex-port market for agri-food products with main ex-ports being mink fur, pork, dairy, fisheries and in-put for the agricultural production. In 2013, Danish agri-food exports to China were 16.5 billion DKK up

Marie Louise Flach de NeergaardMinister CounsellorBeijing

Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Consort will pay a State Visit to China on 24-28 April 2014. The Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr. Dan Jørgensen, will accompany the Queen and Prince Consort.

from 5.5 billion DKK in 2009.

Denmark is actively engaged in expanding its trade and relations with China within the agri-food sector.

NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAM

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NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAM

Significant agreements between the Danish Ministry for Food, Agriculture & Fisheries and China's food and agriculture authorities have been signed, fur-ther opening the market for Danish agri-food prod-ucts and strengthening the cooperation.

Looking ahead, the Danish government - along with the industry - will continue to build a strong rela-tionship with China both in terms of trade to China and in terms of building up a sustainable and effi-cient production in China.

Food safety is a key concern for Chinese consumers. The Danish-Chinese cooperation within this area has expanded enormously, focusing on both regulatory and control measures as well as export licenses.

The Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fish-eries will be part of the official delegation, thus en-hancing the opportunities for the participating Dan-ish companies to build and develop their presence in China.

The message in the sector parallel session will il-lustrate “The Danish Example” within food safety, innovative and sustainable food production and how it links to the present Chinese priorities.

Registration and further questionCompanies that wish to participate in the busi-ness delegation during the state visit must sign-up through an online registration system – here. Fur-ther information regarding flights, visa and accom-modation can be found in the official state visit pro-gramme.

"The Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries will be part of the official delegation, thus enhancing the opportunities for the partici-pating Danish companies to build and develop their presence in China."

STATE VISITCHINA

2014

24 April Beijing25 April Beijing26 April Beijing / Nanjing27 April Nanjing / Suzhou28 April Shanghai

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PORC-EX BREEDING INITIATES JOINT VENTURE ON A SPF PIGS FARM

NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAM

Porc-Ex Breeding will set up a joint venture with Shunkang Animal Nu-trition Feed Co. Ltd, which is located in Shunde District of Foushan City. Together they plan to build a totally enclosed farm of SPF breeding pigs with high degree of automation in

Kaiping City (Guangdong Province) and carry out breeding and sales of Danish breeding pigs.

Porc-Ex Breeding A/S is specialised in export of DanAvl breeding pigs from Denmark to the whole world. DanAvl genes are considered the best in the word and we always aim to satisfy our customers both domestic and abroad.

The total investment of the project is 42,5 million RMB (37 mio. DKK), which will be funded through the joint venture. Having access to the DanAvl da-tabase which is operated by Danish Pig Research Center and Danish Breeding Pig association, the project will implement the DanAvl breeding plan and

Jane CenCommercial OfficerGuangzhou

On 26 March 2014, a joint venture contract signing ceremony took place between Porc-Ex Breeding A/S and Shunkang Animal Nutrition Feed Co. Ltd. with the presence of the Consul General Mr. Ole Lindholm

use this to produce Dania Duroc Boar, Dania Lan-drace sow and Dania Yorkshire sow.

On 26 March 2014, a joint venture contract signing ceremony took place between Porc-Ex Breeding and Shunkang Animal Nutrition Feed Co. Ltd in Kaiping city, with the presence of the Consul General Mr. Ole Lindholm and the Vice Mayor Mr. Mo Jin Feng from Kaiping City. It is the hope that the Consulate Gen-eral will assist more Danish companies within the pig industry to expand or to strengthen their market presence in Southern China.

The Consulate General in Guangzhou was ap-proached by the Chinese partner, who realised that official presence from Denmark at the ceremony was very important. The presence signals to the local authorities and local partner that Denmark support and pays a lot of attention to the Danish companies who operates in China. That creates conveniences and a lot of value while accessing the Chinese au-thorities along the project development.

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CHR. HANSEN OPENS NEW GLOBAL EXPERTISE CENTER IN SHANGHAI

NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAM

With over 10 years serving the Chi-na market, Chr. Hansen was proud to announce the opening of the new office and Global Expertise Center (GEC) in the Changning district in Shanghai, China. The new center was officially opened on the after-

noon of 26 March 2014 by the Danish Consul Gen-eral, Mr. Nicolai Prytz and Chr. Hansen, Group Vice President Asia Pacific, Mr. Sten Esrup.

“Chr. Hansen's solutions have always been based on strong research and development competencies since its founding. The launch of Chr. Hansen’s R&D Centre in Shanghai today marks the beginning of their long-term commitment to driving innovation with value-added ingredients towards new frontiers in China” says Consul General, Mr. Nicolai Prytz.

Lydia JiangCommercial OfficerShanghai

On 26 March 2014, Chr. Hansen officially opened its new office and Global Expertise Center in Shanghai with the presence of the Consul General, Mr. Nicolai Prytz.

As the China market gallops forward as the new economic superpower, the food and health sector is growing rapidly. Therefore it is very important for the Chinese consumer to be able to trust their food sources and suppliers. The new Shanghai Global Ex-pertise Center will enable Chr. Hansen to provide a better service for its China customers.

"Since 2002, Chr. Hansen has grown to be one of the market leaders in China. Chr. Hansen is today a major dairy culture supplier in the Chinese dairy market and is also a strong player within natural colors.” says Consul General, Mr. Nicolai Prytz.

With over 150 customers, distributors, suppliers, media and staff attending the evening was complete with traditional Chinese Lion dancers, music and toasting to celebrate the opening.

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E k s p o r t r å d e t - T h e T r a d e C o u n c i l

Eksportstart 2014 - tilskud til rådgivning

Danske små og mellemstore

virksomheder med inter-

nationalt potentiale kan få

tilskud til rådgivning og

assistance på eksport-

markederne fra Eksportrådets

repræsentationer i udlandet.

Eksportrådet er den del af

Udenrigsministeriet, som

løser opgaver for private

virksomheder inden for

eksport, internationalisering

og investeringsfremme.

Eksportrådet er til stede på ca.

60 markeder i verden.

EksportstartprogrammetMed eksportstartprogrammet kan danskesmå og mellemstore virksomheder fåtilskud til rådgivning fra Eksportrådetsrådgivere på eksportmarkederne.

Rådgivningen er fleksibel og skræddersysefter den enkelte virksomheds behov.

Eksportstartprogrammet kan eksempelvisomfatte:

•Markeds- og konkurrentanalyser

•Distributør- og partnersøgning

• Rådgivning om virksomhedsetableringog markedsbearbejdning

• Information om lokale markedsforholdog lovgivning

•Markedsføring og myndighedskontakt

EksportstartEn opgave med Eksportstartstøtte er på50 til 100 timer, som virksomhedenaftaler med eksportrådgiveren påmarkedet. Opgavens indhold bekræftesmed et skriftligt tilbud, somvirksomheden underskriver. Der ydes 35353535pct.pct.pct.pct. tilskud til den ordinære timepris påde aftalte timer på alle markeder(Timepris i 2014 er DKK 935). Enopgave løst med Eksportstartstøtte vilkoste virksomheden fra DKK 30.387,50 -60.775 afhængig af aftalens timeantal.

En virksomhed kan blive godkendt til énénénénopgaveopgaveopgaveopgave med Eksportstartstøtte pr. markedog på max. tre markedermax. tre markedermax. tre markedermax. tre markeder

Kriterier for at opnå støtteFor at blive godkendt til Eksportstart skalvirksomheden have:• under 100 ansatte• under 150 mio. kr. i årlig omsætning.

AnsøgningAnsøgningsskemaet tilEksportstartprogrammet finder du påVirk.dk Skemaet underskrives medNemID medarbejdersignatur.

Kontakt Eksportrådet

Har du spørgsmål til Eksportstart, kan dukontakte Eksportrådet på 33 92 05 00eller på mail til [email protected]

Opgaven løses af Eksportrådetsrepræsentationer på markedet.

Udenrigsministeriet

EKSPORTSTART 2014

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DANISH AGRICULTURE AND FOOD EXPORT TO CHINA

EXPORT FIGURES

Export figuresAll numbers in million DKK. Total export to China (Source: Statistics Denmark).

Goods Jan. 2013 - Dec. 2013 Jan. 2012 - Dec. 2012 Increase

Fur and skin 11.949,213 9.903,246 21%

Meat products 2.063,886 1.951,353 6%

Aqautic products 931,672 821,072 13%

Grains and feed 634,544 437,961 45%

Dairy and eggs 272,334 171,016 60%

Agricultural machinery 94,704 67,067 41%

Live animals 46,291 0 -

Misc. 640,427 346,307 85%

Total 16.634,071 13.698,022 21%

The Danish export of food and agriculture to China reached 16,63 billion DKK in the one year period from January 2013 to December 2013 (yearly total). In comparison with the same period last year, the total ex-port this year has seen an impressive increase of 21%. All areas have increased but especially two areas have experienced a spectacular increase: grains and feed are up 45% compared to the previous year and dairy and eggs are up 60%.

The total Danish export of goods from January 2013 to December 2013 reached 31,19 billion DKK, which is a growth of 10,5% compared to the previous year. The agricultural and food export accounted for 53% of the total export from Denmark to China (January 2013 to December 2013).

Diagram of the food and agriculture export(percentage of total 16,63 billion DKK):

A closer look at the numbersBy far, the largest export within food and agri-culture is fur and skin, which take up 72% of the total export. Meat products, which have steadily increased during the last years continue to grow and are up 6% compared to the previous year.

Live animals still count for a very insignificant part of the total export but the area is in a impressive growth together with grains and feed. Grains and feed counts for 4% of the total compared to 3% in the previous year.

As a percentage of the total export; agricultural machinery (less than 1%), dairy and eggs (2%) and aquatic products (6%) remain unchanged compared to the previous year.

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CHINESE FOOD INFLATION

EXPORT FIGURES

China food inflation - 3 months averageFrom December 2014 to February 2014 by category. Values in Y/Y (%). (Souce: China National Bureau of Statistics)

Consumer Price Index (CPI) & Food Price Index developmentFebruary 2013 - February 2014 (Souce: China National Bureau of Statistics)

The declining development in the consumer price index, which we have seen since October 2013, is con-tinueing while the food price index is still decreasing. The consumer price index reached 2,0% in February 2014, which is less than the lowest Y/Y rate from March 2013. The food price index reached 2,7% in Febru-ary compared to 3,7% in January.

Compared to the previous year the consumer price index is at a reletively lower level: 2,0% in February 2014 compared to 3,2% in February 2013. The food price index has been in a challenging year with high peaks in Febuary 2013 and October 2013.

Last 3 months averageDuring the last three months beef, mutton and fruits have increased year on year with respectively 11,4%, 9,8% and 19,4%. Besides grease, pork and eggs, all areas have seen a 3 months average growth in a more moderate pace. Pork decreased in February 2014 with 8,7% whereas the 3 months average ended at a de-crease of 3,8%. Vegetables and fruits have during the last three months seen a massive increase. Milk and dairy product increased with 11,5% in February 2014 alone, increasing the 3 months average to 11,4%.

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DENMARK DAY AND PAVILION AT CAHE IN QINGDAO 18-20 MAY

On 18 May China’s largest exhibition for livestock production will open. On the opening day, the Danish pavilion begins with a Denmark Day with focus on Danish knowledge and technology for environmental solutions, stable facilities, feed and breeding stock.

Half of the world’s pig are slaughtered – and con-sumed – in China. The demand is increasing rapidly but the production lags behind. Productivity is low and the explosive development in animal production requires a focused environmental actions. This Dan-ish technology and know-how can help solve.

The Chinese growth results in more people eating pork meat – a demand, which is hard to accommo-date solely by domestic production. Thus there ex-ists a strong need for new technology in all areas of pig production. At the same time the Chinese Gov-ernment has a strong desire to intensify the overall livestock production.

The Trade Council in China has special focus on promoting awareness of Danish manufactures of environmental solutions, stable facilities, feed and breeding stock. From 18-20 May several Danish companies are gathered at a Danish pavilion at the annual China Animal Husbandry Expo.

At the opening day a designated area named Den-mark Day will focus on Danish knowledge and tech-nology for sustainable, efficient pig production and Danish food safety. Danish companies will have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and products in the field. In addition information on the Danish animal health, disease control and handling of animal welfare will be available to guests.

UPCOMING EVENTS

China Animal Husbandry Expo, Qingdao18-20 May 2014

CAHE has been organised by China Animal Agri-culture Association (CAAA) since 2003. It takes place once a year and has become the largest industry show in Asia.

Exhibitors profile are livestock, animal health products, feed and feed Additives, animal hus-bandry machinery and animal breeding technol-ogy. 4,500 booths, 1,800 exhibitors and 120,000 professional visitors.

More informationRoyal Danish Embassy, BeijingMarie Louise Flach de NeergaardE-mail: [email protected].: +86 139 1023 5271

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NEWS FROM THE FOOD TEAM

BIOFACH, SHANGHAI22-24 May 2014

Organised by NürnbergMesse and China Green Food Development Center, BioFach China is the daughter show of BioFach, the world's largest or-ganic trade fair anually.

BioFach China has developed into the most influ-ential organic trade fair in China. It is the only trade fair in China, which specially focuses on certified organic products.

350 exhibitors and 17.000 visitors predicted. Danish companies will have a joint stand.

More informationRoyal Danish Embassy, BeijingMarie Louise Flach de NeergaardE-mail: [email protected].: +86 139 1023 5271

JOIN THE DANISH PAVILION AT BIOFACH EXHIBITION IN SHANGHAI 22-24 MAY

Arla is selling organic milk in China, Thise is on its way, Friland has recently been approved to sell or-ganic pork meat and Knuthenlund’s goat cheese is already distributed in a network of over 200.000 households in Beijing

In 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture predicts that China will be the world’s largest consumer of organic products.

The demand for organic food is steadily increasing as the Chinese consumers become more focused of quality, health and safety, and in line with the grow-ing size of the Chinese middle class.

In addition, Chinese consumers are more confident with foreign products as they perceive these as more safe and of a higher quality than the domes-tic Chinese alternatives. At the same time Chinese consumers pay two to four times more for organic products. This means that the relatively expensive Danish products can be sold in China with a profit.

The market is still difficult to access as Danish or-ganic products must be certified according to Chi-nese rules in order to be sold as organic in China. However the Trade Council is working towards as-sisting Danish organic products achieving the ideal spots on the Chinese market as well as to open the doors to Danish niche products.

On this year’s BioFach exhibition in Shanghai from 22-24 May, the Trade Council will participate in the opening of the exhibition as an organic pioneer country. Denmark will also have a pavilion at the exhibition where 20.000 ecological business guests are expected to visit.

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THE ROYAL DANISH EMBASSY IN BEIJING, HEREBY INVITES YOU TO TAKE PART IN

OPEN DENMARK DAY

Event details

Hosted at the Danish Embassy, Beijing

31 May 2014 from 09.00 - 16.00 including:

- Speech by the Ambassador of Denmark to China

- Tour of the Ambassador’s residence

- Exhibition Danish design, products and brands

- Experience Danish food and culture

31 May 2014

During Open Denmark Day at the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing you will have the chance to promote your company's products to over 4.500 guests, govern-ment officials as well as local and international media.

More information

For information on how your company

can participate in the Open Denmark

Day 2014 please contact:

Shan He (Grace)

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: +86-10-8532 9915

INVITATION TO OPEN DENMARK DAY 2014 IN BEIJING 31 MAY

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AGRICULTURAL REFORMS

POLLUTION AND FOOD SAFETY TO TOP LEGAL AGENDA THIS YEAR, ZHANG DEJIANG TELLS NPC DELEGATESSource: SCMP, 09-03-2014

China's top lawmaker vowed yesterday to push for-ward legislation in areas of key public concern, in-cluding pollution and oversight of officials' conduct.

National People's Congress (NPC) Chairman Zhang Dejiang made his comments while delivering his an-nual work report to delegates, echoing Premier Li Keqiang's remarks to open the annual congress last week.

Zhang, who ranks third in the all-powerful Politbu-ro Standing Committee, said combatting pollution would be one of the top priorities to be addressed this year by the NPC, through legislation and over-sight, as public dissatisfaction over environmental degradation in China intensified.

"We will revise the Environmental Protection Law and the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law to improve environmental protection and management so that emissions of all pollutants are strictly super-vised", Zhang said.

[We will] enforce the strictest systems for protect-ing the environment by controlling pollution at the source, holding polluters accountable and ensuring that they compensate for the damage they cause,"" he said.

The NPC also plans to revise the Food Safety Law, another leading cause of public concern. Li had ear-lier vowed to apply the strictest possible oversight and accountability to prevent food contamination. Zhang promised to strengthen oversight of the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate (the state prosecutor's of-fice) in the coming year. "We need to focus oversight on major reform, devel-opment and stability issues and on sensitive issues

of particular concern to the people", said Zhang. On other issues, the NPC will also hear and deliber-ate on reports from the State Council on deepening reforms and strengthening financial regulation to lessen financial risks. The NPC has long been regarded as a "rubber stamp" body to the Communist Party and has limited pow-ers over the central and provincial governments.

A recent corruption scandal in Hengyang , Hunan province, further eroded public confidence in the legislative body after 518 of the 527 members of the city's people's congress were accused of accept-ing bribes totalling more 110 million yuan (HK$139 million) in a cash-for-votes scandal, local media re-ported in December.

We are keenly aware that the work of the [NPC] Standing Committee still falls well short of the ex-pectations of the people and the demands of depu-ties", Zhang said. "[The Hengyang case] exerted a destructive influence and was a stern warning. We must strengthen the organisation and leadership of the election of NPC deputies … uphold the authority and sanctity of the system of people's congresses … and of the constitution and laws."

Some internet users praised Zhang's reports as re-sponsive, while other said such problems were en-demic.

"The NPC has responded to the public's concerns, but it lacks the capacity to solve the problems. The same problems will be raised again next year. The Hengyang scandal matters little as China has no real elections", said Zhang Xuezhong, a law professor who was fired by a university last year for his criti-cism of leaders.

NEWS FLASH

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AGRICULTURAL REFORMS

CHINESE AUTHORITIES UPGRADE FOOD WASTE FIGHTSource: Xinhua, 18-03-2014

NEWS FLASH

China's anti-waste campaign is being brought to the boil as central authorities issued a long and detailed circular calling on officials and the public to fight against widespread food waste. The eight-point document, released by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Com-mittee and the General Office of the State Council, is aimed to curb official extravagance at dinner tables and develop frugal diet habits among the public as well as make better use of leftovers and food ma-terials. With a large population and limited land resources, China has been facing a tight food supply-demand

balance for a long period of time, but food waste remains rampant due to ostentatious lifestyles and lack of supervision, according to the circular. The document outlines measures prohibiting too much money being spent on food among officials. Officials are told to control the amount they spend on dinners in public affairs, and promote simple, healthy and economical dining. Government departments, organizations and state-owned enterprises must publicize the amount they spend on dining for public supervision, according to the circular.

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NEWS FLASH

"Authorities are not allowed to organize banquets or guzzle under the name of convening meetings and training", it said. China's anti-waste battle has been gath-ering steam since late 2012, when the new leadership announced "eight re-quirements" to improve Party work style and stamp out extravagance and bureau-cracy. The anti-waste campaign has impacted luxury food and gift industries in the past year. A 2013 document ordered military sol-diers to re-heat leftovers and keep away from fancy food. In the latest circular, canteens and caf-eteria of government departments were asked to provide "simple but healthy" food and put up "save the food" slogans in noticeable places. They should also procure food materials based on the total number of staff and provide smaller portions to avoid waste, according to the circular. Special supervisors will be arranged to inspect the measures' implementation and criticize staff who waste food. Warn-ings will be issued to departments which waste food. According to the circular, the central au-thorities want to foster a frugal lifestyle among the public, urging the publicity

continued...

authorities to reinforce the campaign and educational authorities to advocate fru-gality in schools. Catering companies and restaurants have been told to make the best of any food material and actively lead consum-ers to order moderate amounts of food and pack the leftovers. Restaurants are not allowed to set a min-imum-spend requirement, instead, they should award customers who save food, it said. Kitchen waste can become resources, the circular said. It urged restaurants, gov-ernment canteens and cafeterias not to arbitrarily dispose of leftovers and kitch-en waste, which it said should be sent to the waste-recycling companies or be made into compost. Efforts will also be made to improve man-agement in various sectors concerning grain production, storage, transportation and processing to reduce grain depletion or wastage. The document also noted that China is in the process of hammering out a law on food waste. Strict supervision and inspection over implementation will be in place, said the circular. Supervision authorities will even investigate restaurants and hotels and track down violating officials from invoic-es indicating large payments.

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AGRICULTURAL REFORMS

CHINA'S URBANIZATION PLAN 2014-2020Source: Xinhua, 17-03-2014

Basic principles, objectives and milestones for ur-banization in China from now to 2020 were set out this weekend. A national plan (2014-2020), the first of its kind, was unveiled on Sunday by the Central Commit-tee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, the country's Cabinet. The following are main features of the scheme. Key numbers

• Permanent urban residents rose from 17.9 per-cent of the total population in 1978 to 53.7 per-cent in 2013.

• By 2020, 100 million migrant workers and other permanent urban residents should get city "hu-kou" (household registration).

• There were almost 270 million migrant workers in China at the end of 2013.

• Regular railways will connect all cities with more than 200,000 residents by 2020, and high-speed rail will connect those with above 500,000 resi-dents.

• Expressways will link cities with over 200,000 residents by 2020.

• Civil aviation services will cover about 90 per-cent of China's population.

Significance • Strong impetus for sustainable economic growth

• Accelerates industrial restructuring

• Solves agricultural problems

• Balances regional development

Basic principles • People at the center

• Social justice

• Balanced rural and urban development

• Optimized city layouts

• Efficient use of land

• Coordination with informatization, industrializa-tion and agricultural modernization

• Green development

• Cultural heritage emphasized through the dis-tinctive characteristics of each city

Major objectives • By 2020, permanent urban residents should

reach 60 percent of the populace, while three quarters of those residents will have hukou.

• The leading role of major cities will be empha-sized, while increasing the number of small and medium cities.

• The service functions of of small towns will be improved.

• Green production and consumption will be the norm in the urban economy.

• The urban environment will be harmonious and pleasant with basic public services accessible to all permanent urbanites.

• Clean air and safe drinking water will be avail-able for all.

• The systems of household registration, land management, social security, taxation and gen-eral administration will be improved.

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FOOD SAFETY

WHEN CAN WE BE GUARANTEED SAFE FOOD?Source: People's Daily, 07-03-2014

Food safety has come to the top of China's national political agenda during the annual NPC and CPPCC meetings.

At today's press conference, the Minister of Agricul-ture Han Changfu admits that food safety issues are the result of a lack of supervision.

CRI's Ding Lulu finds out what ordinary people want the government to do about this issue.

57 year-old retiree Li Jianhua was born and raised in the city of Jinan, capital of Shandong Province in east China.

His wish to add some green to his life has turned the little hill in front of his city center apartment into a miniature farm, with peach trees, beans, and all sorts of vegetables.

"I just thought it was quite dirty over there and it's in front of my apartment, so I wanted to make it greener. I grew some vines and we can eat all the fruits when they are ripe, so I told my neighbors to help themselves and they love the produce. I turned it into a vegetable farm gradually, I bought cabbage seeds and cucumbers this year."

The popularity of Mr. Li's produce is due to it being completely organic and therefore safe.

Li Jianhua only fertilizes his garden with manure which he ferments himself from animal feces.

A big food safety scandal in his city two months ago still rattles people's nerves even now.

Meat sold in a local Walmart store labeled as donkey meat was actually found to be fox meat.

Donkey meat is a popular snack in some parts of China, but foxes are mainly raised for fur while their meat is generally considered inedible.

Mr. Li is still upset about the whole scandal because it was uncovered by a customer owing to a lack of sufficient government supervision.

"With the Walmart scandal, if the consumer had not complained and had the meat tested, we would al-ways have been kept in the dark. We ordinary people cannot tell the difference just by tasting the food. Without advanced testing equipment, how can we tell? This shows that the supervision from relevant authorities is not carried out effectively enough to cover the upstream producers."

Li Jianhua also believes food safety remains a major concern as the food sector is highly competitive but lacks proper supervision.

He recalls a trip to a nearby farm, where the owner gave him some organic cucumbers together with an industry secret.

"The farmer told me that I can't eat cucumbers sold on the market because progesterone is used in the

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farm. It's a type of hormone contained in contra-ceptive pills. Cucumbers grown using the hormone ripen within days; the flower doesn't even wither when the cucumber is 20 centimeters long. He said all the cucumbers sold on the market with flowers on it are grown using the hormone."

Food safety issues are a bitter topic in China.

Poor supply chain management has frequently led to scares in products ranging from baby milk to cooking oil.

Mr. Li says he hopes during the two sessions, the government can do something significant enough to stop the constant food safety scandals.

"My expectation is that the government can strengthen supervision. If it cares about people's health, the supervision over food should be con-stant. Every batch of food should be checked. The current system consists of random spot-checks; I think it's wrong. The tainted meat scandal involv-ing the big company Shuanghui was revealed by the media instead of government supervision."

Li Jianhua suggests that the current spot-check system gives producers room to maneuver as they self-select which samples to send to regulators.

The labs have already been built, the equipment has been bought, so why aren't they being used more effectively?

continued...

VICE PREMIER URGES RURAL REFORM, FOOD SAFETYSource: Xinhua, 29-03-2014

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang has called for business reforms and improvements to food and drug safety during a tour of south China's Jiangxi and Fujian provinces from Tuesday to Friday. In Jiangxi's Ganzhou, an important agricultural city, Wang said that land circulation needs to be promoted in accordance with market functions and farmers' real interests. Local government and organizations should not compel land circulation, so as to preserve the "red line" of arable land, he said. China has pledged to keep 1.8 billion mu (120 mil-lion hectares) of arable land, an amount consid-ered a "red line" minimum to ensure food security. Wang also called for detailed poverty alleviation work featuring accurate registration, timely wel-fare services and sufficient infrastructure. In Fujian Province, the vice premier visited local food and drug enterprises as well as a farmers' market, stressing strict supervision of food safety. Wang demanded strict monitoring of the entire process of food production, processing and sales with severe punishment of crimes in the food and drug sector. Consumers and business associations should par-ticipate in the supervision to help secure a better regulated food and drug market, he added.

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FOOD SAFETY

CHINA VOWS CRACKDOWN ON EXPIRED FOODSource: Xinhua, 13-03-2014

China's food and drug watchdog on Thursday vowed to crack down on illegal sale and disposal of expired food. The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) is-sued a circular, requiring food and drug authorities at all levels to make sure expired food be with-drawn from market. The SFDA will target practices such as using ex-pired food as ingredients, falisifying expiration dates, repackaging and recycling expired food. Food producers and distributors should dispose of expired food in an environmentally friendly way, or have expired food recycled as feed or fertilizers by licensed processors. The SFDA warned that, malpractice will be record-ed in food companies' credit files, and low-credit companies will be subject to frequent inspections. Violators may have their licences revoked and be added into a "blacklist", the SFDA said.

NEW POLICE UNIT MULLED TO HANDLE FOOD SAFETY CRIMESSource: Global Times, 31-03-2014

A new police division to deal with food and drug safety crimes might deter lawbreakers, but more resources need to be put into this area in the wake of mounting public frustration, analysts said Sun-day. Hua Jingfeng, a senior official with the Ministry of Public Security, said at a media briefing Friday that the new bureau, which has been planned for over a year, is still at a theoretical stage but "hopefully will have a result soon." Hua did not reveal any details of the new bureau's agenda in the Friday press conference, jointly held by the ministry and the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA). Under the current regulatory system, the CFDA is responsible for safety issues in the market while police handle cases which violate law. Sun Zhongshi with the Chinese Monitoring Network for Rational Use of Drugs told the Global Times that the new bureau might be a deterrent. "The CFDA's supervision proved to be insufficient because its limited manpower can't effectively handle the large number of drug and food factories," Sun said. Gao Qinwei, professor with the Central University of Finance and Economics, said that a new agency is not the best solution as there will be duplications of administrative systems. "To fight against counterfeit products like food and drugs, the CFDA needs more manpower and finan-cial resources, and should also be supervised by the public," Gao noted. There has been much public dissatisfaction with the CFDA along with complaints over light punish-ments for violators and compensation for victims. A 2013 survey from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said 52.7 percent of respondents were dissatisfied with the food safety situation and 62

percent think the problem will not change or will worsen, China News Service reported. At the same press conference, Mao Zhenbin, a sen-ior CFDA inspection official, said there are difficul-ties in dealing with fake and poor quality products sold online. The battle to identify food and drug of-fences is challenging, as traditional workshop-style production is now cross-regional, making investi-gation difficult and costly. Over 43,000 food and drug criminal cases were cracked, and over 60,000 suspects captured in 2013, Mao noted.

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NEW CHINESE COURT RULES BACK "PEOPLE'S WAR" AGAINST MAKERS OF UNSAFE FOODSource: South China Morning Post, 10-01-2014

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FOOD SAFETY

ers of substandard or fake goods and clean up the market," Zhang said. The guidelines cover disputes involving consumers, manufactures, retailers, ad agencies and publishers, among others. Cosmetics and dietary products, even though they were not drugs, were also covered, Zhang said. The guidelines stipulate consumers could sue manu-factures who produced substandard products - and retailers who sold the products knowing they were shoddy - for 10 times of the price of the individual product, court spokesman Sun Jungong said. Sun said the regulations would have a "positive im-pact on unifying rulings" and "protecting the legal rights of consumers", as well as ensuring the food and pharmaceuticals markets observed good prac-tices. Courts would support consumers' demand that man-ufacturers and sellers prioritise payment of damag-es and compensation when defendants are deemed to be criminally and administratively liable. "The consumers are considered the weak party and, without the principle of civil liabilities first, they might win a case but be unable to get compensa-tion. This will protect the utmost legal rights of con-sumers," Sun said.

Consumers will have the backing from the courts to sue manufacturers and retailers of unsafe food and pharmaceuticals even before any harm is inflicted when new guidelines introduced by a top court come into effect. The 18-clause guidelines on how to handle civil dis-putes regarding food, drugs, cosmetics and dietary supplements announced by the Supreme People's Court yesterday, emphasise protecting consumers' rights and even encourage the public to seek legal redress. The guidelines - along with an amended consumer protection law - come into effect on March 15, World Consumer Rights Day. More than 13,000 civil cases involving food and drugs were handled by courts across the country between 2010 and 2012, accounting for 6 per cent of consumer rights cases, the court said. Zhang Yongjian, the presiding judge of Civil Tri-al Court No1 of the Supreme People's Court, said few consumers sued for compensation because the amounts involved were not large or because of ef-fort needed to go to court. "We hope these interpretations of laws will raise consumers' awareness of their rights and that they will wage a people's war against makers and sell-

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GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IS SAFE TO EAT, SAYS CHINA'S AGRICULTURE MINISTERSource: South China Morning Post, 07-03-2014

The statement was the most public effort yet by a senior mainland official to dispel anxiety about the safety of GM foods.

"I eat food processed from GM crops, soya bean oil to be specific," he said at a press conference yester-day in Beijing, where the National People's Congress is meeting.

Han said most soya bean oil products sold on the mainland were made from imported GM soya beans. He spent over 20 minutes explaining the rigours of the safety assessment and supervision network for GM foods.

The minister also said the outbreak of bird flu should not deter people from eating chicken.

"As agriculture minister, I promise you eating chick-en is safe," he said, adding that poultry farms had not been infected with the H7N9 virus. Mainland health authorities have reported more than 120 hu-man cases this year.

According to Han, 17 GM products from five plant species - soya beans, corn, oilseed rape, cotton and tomatoes - are sold on the domestic market. Rules require such products to acknowledge their GM con-tent on their packaging. GM cotton and papaya were the only crops approved for commercial planting on the mainland, he said.

Former state television host Cui Yongyuan, who spent months researching GM food, says GM crops have been planted in at least four provinces: Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi and Jilin.

Cui, who is also a deputy to the Chinese People's Po-litical Consultative Conference, urged authorities to release information about a batch of exported rice that Europe refused to accept in 2006 because a GM variety of the grain was found.

"Developed countries are now seizing the leading edge in GM technology studies, and many develop-ing countries are also actively following," he said. "We cannot have the technology monopolised by others, and the market cornered by others."

The minister noted the effects of pollution on agri-culture. The government was beginning pilot pro-grammes in the south of the country later this year to treat heavy-metal-contaminated soil, he said, without specifying the exact areas.

About 3.33 million hectares of farmland is too pol-luted to grow crops upon, according to a land survey released last year.

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FOOD SAFETY

Chinese Agriculture Minister Han Changfu gives a press confer-ence for the second session of China's 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua

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AGRICULTURE MINISTER REAFFIRMS SAFETY OF GM FOODSSource: China Daily, 07-03-2014

In a rare display of confidence in the country's man-agement of genetically modified food, China's top agriculture official said he eats GM food.

"I now also eat food processed from GM raw ma-terials, specifically soybean oil, because it's mainly made from imported soybeans, most of which are genetically modified," Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu said while answering a China Daily ques-tion on the sidelines of the annual legislative session on Thursday.

The video clip and news report of the minister's re-mark went viral on the Internet on Thursday after-noon, a signal that the safety of GM food is a big public concern.

Soybean imports, Han said, have undergone a chain of stringent procedures and had passed safety tests in both exporting countries and in China.

Han's ministry previously said import certificates for GM crops in China had been awarded only for soy-beans, corn, rapeseed, cotton and beets. These im-ports are only allowed to be used as raw materials for domestic processing.

The minister reiterated China's position on trans-genic technology that the country must strive to keep up with the world's advanced level and that it must possess its own intellectual property rights.

China has already raked in profits from its GM re-search. GM cotton, for instance, has not only in-creased yield and income for farmers, but also dras-tically cut the use of pesticides, said the minister.

Transgenic cotton accounts for 95 percent of the

Chinese market. "We've actually exercised extreme caution on GM plants," the minister said.

The country has worked out statutes and proce-dures covering GM research, testing, production, processing, trade, import permits and compulsory identification, he said.

Its transgenic research and application began with non-food plants, such as cotton, then on plants whose products are used for processing and for ani-mal feed, and finally on crops whose products are directly for food, he said.

The country has not approved GM rice planting on a commercial basis, and anyone who breaches the regulations on planting or trading GM crops or prod-ucts will be severely dealt with, Han said.

The minister also said China's grain imports will un-likely surge, though it will turn to the global market for an "appropriate" amount of imports.

Grain imports have increased over the past years, but not significantly, Han said.

Last year, China imported 13 million tons of grain, but the amount accounted for only 2.4 percent of the country's total grain consumption, Han said, adding that even if the country wanted to import more, there wasn't enough available in the world market.

He said that China will rely on domestic production for food security, and its grain production will be reinforced by supportive policies, improved technol-ogy and infrastructure, particularly in irrigation and agricultural mechanization.

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FOOD SAFETY

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NO GM STAPLE FOODS APPROVED IN CHINA, SAYS AGRI MINISTERSource: Food Navigator Asia, 10-03-2014

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FOOD SAFETY

China has not given any approvals for the commer-cial production of genetically modified staple foods, the country’s agriculture minister has said.

Han Changfu told local media on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, that Chi-na is taking its time over such ap-provals.

"We have been cautious over GM food be-cause we want to make sure that it is safe,” he said. In 2009, China granted bio-safety certificates to two pest-resistant GM rice varieties and one variety of corn.At that time, China was said to be the first country to implement field trials for GM staple foods.

“The government has never allowed any other GM agricultural products to be planted except cotton and papa-ya,” said Han, adding that the country’s GM safety regime allowed for severe punish-ment for any unauthorised GM crop sales, planting and field trials.

China has seen a great deal of public discussion lately on the issue of GM foods, with celebrities

joining netizens and experts to appeal for the consumer’s right to know when buying GM

food products.

However, Han sought to dispel these fears, revealing that he himself con-sumes food containing GM ingredi-ents. “I eat food processed from GM

crops, soya bean oil to be specific,” he said.

In China, 90% of soybean oil, which accounts for more than half of cook-

ing oil consumption, is made from GM soybeans.

“Whether GM food is safe or not should not be decided by departments or indi-viduals, it should be decided by scien-

tists following strict standards and proce-dures,” said Han.

China has set up a number of panels of experts to supervise GM crop safety management in the country. Currently, China’s laws require mandatory GM food labelling for 17 varieties of GM food products.

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SPP VOWS CRACKDOWN ON FOOD, ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMESSource: Xinhua, 27-02-2014

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FOOD SAFETY

The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) is plan-ning an eight-month crackdown on environmental and food safety crimes after detaining a total of 13,495 suspects for such offenses last year. That number, all of whom were detained with pros-ecutors' warrants, showed a year-on-year rise of 12 percent, figures from a Thursday press conference showed. Pollution has become a hot issue for the Chinese public as a week of severe smog in Beijing only end-ed on Thursday. Meanwhile, cases of food made with shoddy ingredients continue to be discovered on a regular basis. According to senior SPP official Wan Chun, a nine-month campaign against slack investigation and prosecution was launched in April of last year. It led to thousands of criminal cases related to people's livelihoods being transferred from police and other law enforcement organs to prosecutors. More than half of these cases involved food safety and environmental issues, while others concerned agriculture, health and education, labor insurance and other fields, Wan said.

In one case revealed earlier by the SPP, a suspect named Liu Liguo sold 100 million yuan's worth of "gutter oil" made from kitchen waste between De-cember 2007 and July 2011. Some 9 million yuan's worth of the unsafe oil entered the market. Gutter oil contains carcinogenic substances and is dangerous for humans. Liu was given a life sentence in 2013. Wan urged investigative supervision offices to go through case records saved by administrative and law enforcement organs within their jurisdictions in order to uncover tips and clues about crimes. In China, prosecuting organs have the power to su-pervise the investigation and management of cases by various law enforcement departments including the police and detention centers.

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CHINA URGES INVESTIGATION INTO GELATIN PRODUCTSSource: Xinhua, 16-03-2014

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FOOD SAFETY

China's food and drug watchdog on Sunday urged investigation and exposure of illicit gelatin products following media reports about the use of industrial waste in food and drugs. The China Food and Drug Administration called for all relevant departments to carry out surprise in-spections of local gelatin manufacturers and tight-en examination of the entire production chain, in-cluding raw materials, purchases, production and sales. On Saturday, media reported that some enter-prises had used gelatin made from industrial waste leather to produce food and drug capsules. Since gel capsules made from toxic chromium-tainted industrial gelatin were exposed in 2012, the administration has highlighted supervision of edible and drug gelatin products through measures such as increased inspection times and standard-ized production and operations. In 2014, the administration issued a circular to prevent illicit sales and supervise use of gelatin. The administration sent work teams to relevant ar-eas for on-site inspection. Also on Sunday, the administration issued a circu-lar advising consumers to buy cosmetic lenses with medical device registration certificates. The circular said that people may report fake prod-uct vendors to local food and drug watchdogs, which will handle illegal acts in line with the law.

CHINA ORDER FOOD PRODUCERS TO APPOINT CHIEF SAFETY OFFICERSSource: Xinhua, 03-03-2014

The China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) on Monday announced the launch of a trial pro-gram in which food producers will be asked to ap-point a chief safety officers. The chief safety officer, appointed by the owner or management of a food producer, will be held responsible all issues regarding the safety of food produced by a company. The CFDA said this will solve the embarrassing situation in which everyone in the management is responsible for food safety and no one actually is responsible. Meanwhile, the whole food production and sales process must be fully recorded and be made trace-able, the CFDA said.

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BIRD FLUE

ONE MORE H7N9 CASE IN E CHINASource: Xinhua, 07-03-2014

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GOAT PLAGUE

GOAT PLAGUE OUTBREAK REPORTED IN NE CHINASource: Xinhua, 21-03-2014

One more human case of H7N9 bird flu has been reported in east China's Fujian Province, local health authorities said on Friday. A 27-year-old man who lives in Fuzhou City was confirmed to have been infected with the virus. He is being treated in an isolation ward of the county hospital. The new case brought the number of infections in the province this year to 16, including four deaths and eight who have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. China has reported more than 120 human H7N9 cases this year, including at least 36 deaths.

China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has con-firmed an outbreak of ovine rinderpest, also known as goat plague, in northeast China's Liaoning Prov-ince. An MOA announcement Friday said that 24 goats showed symptoms of the disease on March 17 in two villages in Jinzhou City, of which 11 died. The national exotic animal disease research center on Friday confirmed that the epidemic was ovine rin-derpest. Local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the area where 56 infected goats and goats from the same herds are being culled, according to the MOA. Ovine rinderpest is a contagious disease mainly af-fecting goats and sheep. The virus causes fever, lesions, labored breathing and diarrhea in infected animals.

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GRAIN

CHINA'S COFCO TO BUY MAJORITY STAKE IN NOBLE AGRICULTURE UNIT Source: NY Times, 02-04-2014

The Cofco Corporation, a huge Chinese state-owned foodstuffs conglomerate, agreed on Wednesday to pay $1.5 billion for a majority stake in the Noble Group’s agriculture business. The deal with the Noble Group, a major commodities trader based in Hong Kong, is the second such deal in two months for Cofco, which is going increasingly global in its quest to meet China’s demands for food security amid a shortage of arable land at home. In February, Cofco bought a 51 percent stake in the Dutch agricultural commodities trader Nidera for an undisclosed sum. A large, growing and increasingly affluent popula-tion, worsening soil and water pollution and rising urbanization rates have combined to reduce China’s arable land and put immense pressure on the coun-try’s ability to meet its food needs domestically. In response, China is increasingly looking overseas. Cofco — whose businesses span grain and oilseed trading, animal husbandry, logistics, branded food products, wine, real estate and financial services — is four years into a five-year plan to spend $10 bil-lion on overseas mergers and acquisitions. Cofco’s latest deal has it working with a consortium of investors led by the Hopu Investment Manage-ment Company, one of China’s biggest homegrown private equity groups, in acquiring a 51 percent stake in Noble Agri Limited. The Noble Group, listed in Singapore, will retain a 49 percent stake. Buying control of Noble Agri gives Cofco access to a supply network that sources agricultural com-modities from low-cost places that include South

America, Africa and Eastern Europe and sells them to fast-growing markets in Asia and the Middle East. Noble Agri is a major processor and distributor of corn, wheat, soybeans and vegetable oils; a trader of cocoa, cotton, coffee and sugar; and a producer of sugar and ethanol. Under the terms of the deal, Cofco and Hopu In-vestment will make an upfront cash payment of $1.5 billion to the Noble Group. The final price will be adjusted so that it will be equal to 1.15 times Noble Agri’s book value at the end of this year. Its book value at the end of 2013 was $2.8 billion and, should that remain comparable or increase by the end of 2014, the purchase price would be adjusted upward. But a write-down means the price could be reduced. Noble Agri has been a moneymaker for the Noble Group since it was founded in 1998, but it swung to an operating loss last year. The unit’s sugar as-sets in Brazil account for about half of Noble Agri’s book value, analysts at Standard Chartered wrote last month in a research note. “Market concerns have been focused on the poten-tial need for a write-down in carrying value, particu-larly relating to the group’s sugar assets in Brazil,” the analysts wrote. They noted, however, that sugar prices are expected to rise this year and next year.

“Accordingly, we believe that write-down risks are misplaced and feel that the agri suite of assets is worth considerably more than its book.” JPMorgan is the financial adviser to the Noble Group on the deal.

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MEAT

CHINA'S GROWING APPETITE FUELLING AUSTRALIAN RED MEAT EXPORTSSource: Food Navigator Asia, 26-02-2014

China’s consumption of lamb and beef has grown explosively over the last 12 months, making it one of Australia’s top red meat markets, an industry of-ficial said.

Jamie Ferguson, regional manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Meat and Livestock Aus-tralia, told FoodNavigator-Asia that China had gone from being the number eight market for Australian red meat to number three in under a year.

“The growth has been phenomenal,” said Ferguson, who was speaking at Gulfood 2014, the annual food and beverage industry show for the Middle East.

Meat and Livestock Australia is the peak marketing and development body for Australia's cattle, sheep and goat producers.

“What has happened in China is that they have depleted their cattle [both beef and lamb] stocks heavily,” said Ferguson. “So they have decided to top up from other countries.”

Ferguson pointed out that only three countries are legally allowed to supply China, the other two be-ing New Zealand and Uruguay. “So we have been in a great position to take advantage of this opportu-nity,” he said.

Opportunity well tappedData from the government backs this up. According to the Department of Agriculture, Australian beef, veal, lamb and goat exports to China surged dur-ing 2013, to 256,993 tonnes, accounting for 17% of

Australia’s total exports, compared to 6%, at 79,153 tonnes in 2012.

Of these, Australian beef and veal exports to Chi-na during 2013 climbed significantly, to 154,833 tonnes, up 371% year-on-year. The beef cut in the greatest demand was brisket, at 29,960 tonnes¾up 423%.

In terms of Australian sheepmeat exports during 2013, lamb shipments were up 34% year-on-year, to 39,535 tonnes, while mutton exports surged 254%, to 57,888 tonnes, accounting for 34% of Australia’s total exports.

According to Ferguson, the market in China has seen an even mix between the retail and food ser-vice industry.

Perception of safety helping“We are seen as country that is clean and safe. There probably has been some uptake based on their food safety standards and that is why we are one of only three countries allowed to legally sell there,” said Ferguson, when asked if China’s food safety issues have opened the door to Australian exports.

On the rest of Asia, Ferguson said that the coun-try was seeing high growth in Indonesia, Australia’s closest neighbour, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Date from the government revealed that Austral-ian red meat exports to the wider Southeast Asia region during 2013 surged 85% year-on year, to 448,838 tonnes.

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US-STYLE INTENSIVE FARMING ISN'T THE SOLUTION TO CHINA'S MEAT PROBLEMSource: The Guardian, 03-03-2014

Staggering growth means China now produces a third of the world’s meat, and it hopes to do more by replicating the US model of meat production.

The scale of growth in China’s meat production over the past three decades is staggering.

Today, one-third of the world’s meat is produced in the country and half of all pigs live there. While per capita annual consumption may still be below the US and Europe – for now at least – China still man-aged to jump from 4kg to 61kg per person between 1961 and 2010.

Unlike the US though, it must produce this meat with a comparative scarcity of resources. Its water availability per capita is around 2,000 cubic metres (cm) compared to 9,000cm in the US and per capita arable land availability is about one-quarter of the average for OECD countries.

Although China’s leadership has been wary, un-til recently, of admitting it, the country’s policy of self-sufficiency has become unsustainable. Huge increases in grain and meat production have not been enough to prevent a growing food trade defi-cit, which stood at US$31 billion in 2012, according to the OECD.

The solution, outlined by officials recently, is to al-low imports of commodities such as wheat and soy-beans, freeing up land and water for a further in-tensification of domestic meat and dairy production.

However, China has already paid a high price for its rapid increases in meat production over the past

three decades, with livestock now the main source of both soil and water pollution, according to data released by China’s Ministry of Environmental Pro-tection in January.

What’s more, intensive production of animal feed, in particular maize, has resulted in severe soil deg-radation and water shortages. Water tables in the North China Plain – the most critical agricultural re-gion in the country – fell by 61% between 2000 and 2006, according to one study, which questioned the area’s future sustainability for farming.

Environmental officials have been pointing the fin-ger of blame for pollution at large-scale farms, yet these same operations are expected to take over the vast majority of meat production within China over the next two decades. And as last year’s takeover of Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork producer, by Shuanghui International (recently renamed WH Group) confirmed, Chinese companies are keen to tap into US expertise to help them boost intensive meat production.

However, replicating the US model of meat pro-duction is likely to bring a host of new challenges, according to a recent report from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). As well as the strain on resources, it also warns of a rise in antibi-otic resistance (nearly 50% of antibiotics produced are already used by the livestock sector in China) and dietary-related diseases.

The adoption of western diets high in meat and pro-cessed dairy has already been linked to an emerging epidemic of diabetes in China, with 50% of the pop-

NEWS FLASH

MEAT

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continued...

NEWS FLASH

ulation showing a prevalence of pre-diabetes and 11% already diabetic (up from 1% in 1980).

“Chinese policymakers see the US intensive pork production model as the solution to China’s food safety problems. Yet it is precisely this system of factory farming that has led to drastic environmen-tal, public health and animal welfare problems in the US,” says the report.

“There are those that say China is just not cut out for the highly polluting US meat industry model which it seems to be embracing,” says report co-author Shefali Sharma.

Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Environmental and Public Affairs, a Beijing-based green NGO, said intensive farming was putting pressure on ecologi-cal fragile regions and that China was wrong to try to follow a western model of excessive meat con-sumption. “It can affect the environment and is not beneficial for human health. China should not model itself on western countries and promote this kind of consumption.”

Jiang Gaoming, an ecologist at the Chi-nese Academy of Sciences, agreed. “Copying the American model blindly will not help China. I have visited many meat production farms in China. Pollution is very serious. They either don’t have sewage facilities at all or do not bother to use them. They also use a lot of water, especially large-scale producers, and will not put the en-vironment before profit. There are many past les-sons to be learned.”

However, the IATP report goes onto warn of a new and powerful agri-busi-ness lobby in China, led by companies such as WH Group, blocking any

restraints on the livestock sector.Sharma said there was a “symbiotic relationship” between the meat industry and officials, which was likely to be giving so-called ‘Dragon Head Enterpris-es’, tasked with promoting new forms of intensive agriculture, a strong influence in policy making.

“The government supports the formation and strengthening of dragon heads and the dragon heads support the policy direction China is heading, which is further consolidation and control of agribusiness over the food system,” she said.

Jeff Zhou, the China representative of Compassion in World Farming, agreed. “I think at a governmen-tal level – the think tanks and officials – are aware of the environmental costs, but still the priority is to feed the people. They [agribusinesses] have been leading the development of the industry for many years and are considered as successful models by other followers, as well as the government.”

Tom Levitt is managing editor at Guardian Environ-ment Network partner and Chinese environmental news site, Chinadialogue.

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'TRADE CONFLICT TURNED BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP!' CHINA ENDS EU WINE WARSource: Foodnavigator Asia, 28-03-2014

China has agreed to end its year long investigation into subsidies on and alleged dumping of EU wine exports in a move that will relieve France in par-ticular.

The People’s Republic announced the wine probe via its Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on June 1 2013, less than 24 hours after the EU announced tariffs on cheap Chinese solar panels that it claimed were flooding the market.

France exported 72% of the €764m* of wine that the EU sold to China in 2012, according to the Eu-ropean Commission, and when the trade war broke out, industry onlookers concluded that China was aiming to penalize the French, given the latter’s strong support for solar panel tariffs.

Last August the solar panel dispute was resolved, and at that time EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht and the Chinese minister of trade agreed to try and broker a solution to the wine issue.

The result was talks between the European Com-mittee of Wine Companies (CEEV) and the Chinese Alcohol Drinks Association (CADA) from November 2013 that led to the new deal.

CEEV president ‘satisfied’ complaint withdrawnCEEV president, Jean Marie Barillère, said China’s complaint had always been unjustified but that he was “very satisfied” that it had been withdrawn.

He added that EU producers will now be able to pur-sue operations in a strategic market in fair competi-tion with domestic wines and third country wines.

“Beyond that, our business to business dialogue with the Chinese industry will contribute to turn a trade conflict into a strategic partnership between the EU and the Chinese industries,” Marie Barillère added.

In exchange for terminating its investigation and withdrawing its complaint, the EU wine industry will provide technical assistance to China’s wine industry in areas including winegrowing, experimental vine-yards and mechanization techniques.

Winning over Chinese wine consumersOther areas include winemaking and quality con-trols, marketing approaches, wine tasting and the Geographical Indications system.

The Chinese will assist the EU by organizing wine tastings for the bloc’s producers in China and im-proving wine knowledge and appreciation among consumers.

De Gucht said he applauded the Chinese wine in-dustry for withdrawing its application for anti subsidy and anti dumping measures.

“I expect that the case will now be formally termi-nated so that the EU wine industry can continue to export its quality products to China in a fair and competitive environment,” he said.

EU agriculture commission, Dacian Ciolos, said the “question mark hanging over EU wine exporters...is now clearly resolves and this is very good news”.*EU wine exports totalled €8.865bn in 2012.

NEWS FLASH

BEVERAGES

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ASIA DRIVING GLOBAL MALT WHISKY GROWTHSource: Food Navigator Asia, 13-03-2014

BEVERAGES

NEWS FLASH

Strong growth in Asia has driven the world’s malt whisky sector, which grew by 46.7% between 2003 and 2012, according to a new report from just drinks and The IWSR.

With the overall industry hitting a record high in 2012 of 7.8m cases, the study predicts that Asia will continue to see a "very dynamic" compound an-nual growth rate of 20.2%, and reach around 1.5m cases in 2012.

Taiwan on a highWhile most of this growth came from Taiwan, the report found that most countries in Asia are experi-encing "healthy growth". Taiwan overtook France in 2012 to become the second largest market for malt.

Another key driver for the malt sector has been the travel retail market, which has grown its share of the category from 12% in 2003 to 15% in 2012. This market’s sales in value terms reached US$447.7m in 2012.

Growth has also been strong in the Americas. North America has registered a "very healthy" 6.3% CAGR over the last 10 years, according to the report. In 2012, the country was the largest malt market in the world at 1.4m cases, representing a rise of al-most 12% from 2011.

US still strongThe US is also the largest individual mar-ket in retail value terms (including ex-cise duties), with a 15.5% share in 2012. The US malt category’s retail value sales climbed from US$272.5m in 2003 to just under US$613m in 2012.

Overall, the global malt market expanded at a CAGR of 7% between 2007 and 2012 in retail value terms, including excise taxes and duties, to reach US$3.95bn.

Europe is the largest region by retail value

with a 38% share, followed by Asia Pacific at 22%, the Americas at 21% and travel retail at 11.3%.

However, Europe’s share of the global market has fallen from almost 60% in 2003. Most of this decline can be attributed to sof-tening sales in South-ern Europe as a result of the economic cri-sis.

Italy, Spain and Greece have all seen sharp de-clines, the report stated.

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FARMING

CHINA LAGGING BEHIND US IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURESource: Food Navigator Asia, 20-03-2014

The urea input costs per unit of pork production in China is 3.5 times what it is in the US, according to data by Rabobank.

As a result, such a high level of inputs has led to less output improvement and caused waste and soil de-terioration. Although China’s N-fertiliser application rate will eventually begin to drop, it is not likely to do so in the near future.

“For all major crops, N-fertiliser availability is the most significant yield determinant, while in China, the fertiliser application efficiency is very low,” said Aochao Wang, Rabobank China’s senior analyst of food and agribusiness research.

“If China can achieve the same efficiency in pig farming as the US, the country will save more than 174,000 tonnes of urea inputs, 11m tonnes of corn, a 1% reduction in arable land use and nearly 1.75m hectares of land greatly limiting environmental damage.”

China’s agricultural production is set to see a num-ber of effective improvements under Government land reform policies. Farmers will soon have the op-portunity to transfer collective land to large-scale, professional farms.

In turn, this professionalisation will encourage more operational economies of scale. For example, the development of family farms focusing on agricul-

tural activities with greater economic value, like in-tensive food-grain production in rotation with high added-value crops like potatoes, onions, and live-stock farming.

In conjunction with this, governments, institutions, firms and farmers in China have been actively ex-ploring ways to use fertiliser effectively, and some best-practice standards have already been formu-lated.

The site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) has helped to reduce the amount of N-fertiliser by one-third in several provinces of China while yields in-creased by 5%.

However, China’s fertiliser application rate is still ac-celerating and the current low levels of N-uptake means it is absorbed into the environment causing soil and water acidification, contamination of sur-face and groundwater resources, and rising green-house gas emissions.

Imports of low-value grain from markets with better N-uptake and lower fertiliser input can supplement China’s domestic supply.

“China’s interest in acquiring and developing agri-cultural know-how as well as its initiative to buy-and-build a leading global agricultural trading house supports its agricultural development and is allow-ing it to make the best of both worlds”, added Wang.

NEWS FLASH

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CHINA NEEDS HYBRID IMPORTS TO SUPPORT ITS GROWING FOOD DEMANDSource: Food Navigator Asia, 13-03-2014

China’s ability to feed a growing population will de-pend on how it can drive the development of its hy-brid model while ultimately relying on the develop-ment of its agricultural system, says Rabobank.

A quadrupling in the world's population in the past 100 years has required a fundamental change in soil and crop management to meet growing food de-mand globally. In China, the issue of food security is driving the development of a hybrid model and changing the way in which the region will feed itself in the long-term.

Greater professionalismChina's food security will ultimately rely on the pro-fessionalisation of its agriculture through the infra-structure of research, education and farm extension services, supplemented with the import of lower-value feed grains from the US and Brazil as China continues to buy and build a global supply chain.

"Output efficiency of domestic crops in China have been significantly hindered in previous years", said Rabobank analyst Dirk Jan Kennes.

"China's farming industry is characterised by an un-sustainably high level of nitrogen fertiliser usage, and inefficiently low crop uptake of fertiliser nutri-

ents. Its low agricultural production efficiency is also due to lower average arable land area per farm and relatively low-level farmer knowledge".

China's agricultural production is set to see a number of effective improvements under government land reform policies. Farmers will have the opportunity to transfer collective land to large-scale, professional farms. In turn, this so-called professionalisation will encourage more operational economies of scale. For example, Rabobank has predicted the develop-ment of family farms focusing on agricultural activi-ties with greater economic value, like intensive food-grain production in rotation with high added-value crops like potatoes, onions and livestock farming.

More effective fertiliser useIn conjunction with this, governments, institutions, firms and farmers in China have been actively ex-ploring ways to use fertiliser effectively, and some best practice standards have already been formu-lated.

However, China's fertiliser application rate is still ac-celerating and the current low levels of uptake for fertiliser nutrients means it is absorbed into the en-vironment causing soil and water acidification, con-

NEWS FLASH

FARMING

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FARMERS FIGHT AGAINST DROUGHT FOR SPRING PLOUGHING IN N CHINASource: Xinhua, 13-03-2014

Farmers cover plastic film on cropland to preserve soil moisture in Wangtai Town of Yongjing Coun-ty, Northwest China's Gansu Province, March 12, 2014. As the spring comes, farmers here are busy with fighting against the drought for spring plough-ing.

tamination of surface and groundwater resources, and rising greenhouse gas emissions.

Imports of low-value grain from markets with better nutrient uptake and lower fertiliser input can sup-plement China's domestic supply.

Feed grain imports can significantly improve the ef-ficiency of the pork value chain, for example. The input of nitrogen fertiliser per unit of pork produc-tion in China is three and a half times greater than in the US.

Importing the Dutch agricultural model of technolo-gy-intensive livestock farming as well as the nitro-gen-fertiliser-to-corn efficiency from the Americas can significantly narrow the fertiliser to production output gap in China; and by doing so, China could also save more than 174,000 tonnes of nitrogen fer-tiliser inputs, 11m tonnes of corn and nearly 1.75m hectares of land, greatly limiting environmental damage.

"China's interest in acquiring and developing agri-cultural knowhow, as well as its initiative to buy-and-build a leading global agricultural trading house supports its agricultural development, and is allow-ing it to make the best of both worlds,” said Kennes.

continued...

PHOTO

: XINHUA

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NEWS FLASH

DAIRY

Australia’s baby food industry grew by 9% in value in 2013, thanks mainly to growing demand from China’s expanding middle class for safe and quality milk formula, said a new report.

According to the report from research firm Euromon-itor International, growth in Australia’s baby food in-dustry was not even across product segments, and was largely confined to milk formula, which experi-enced a 12% value increase.

Chinese demand surging“Most of this was not due to demand from Australian parents, but from parents in China. Concerns about the quality of milk formula are leading to Chinese parents attempting to source their milk formula from elsewhere around the globe,” the report said.

It revealed that the demand was so high that a new grey market trade was flourishing, in which Chinese nationals living in Australia would purchase milk for-mula in bulk before mailing it to China.

“The result has been a surge in demand for milk for-mula in Australia over 2012 with the market grow-ing 22% before easing slightly to 12% in 2013. It has also resulted in significant shortages of milk for-mula at retailers,” it said.

Growing shortagesResearchers at Euromonitor International pointed out that in an attempt to remedy this situation, lim-its have been introduced as to how many units can be purchased in one transaction, with some retailers only allowing single units to be sold.

“Shortages were particularly severe in 2012 due to the Year Of The Dragon, a year in which it is consid-ered good luck to be born. This led to a further spike

in births in China, consequent-ly putting more strain on milk for-mula supplies in Aus-tralia,” it said.

“Growth has been particu-larly strong in toddler milk formula and again this is largely due to demand from China, where children consume baby milk for-mula until an older age.”

However, the report warned that following on from the strong growth witnessed since 2007, baby food in Australia is about to enter a period of far less vi-brant growth.

“The rise of the birth rate that occurred since 2007 is set to sub-side, the boom produced by Chinese nationals mailing baby formula back home about to disappear, whilst social trends are moving away from manufac-tured baby food,” it said.

“A constant value CAGR of only 3% is expected over the forecast pe-riod; a stark contrast compared to the 9% constant val-ue CAGR of 2008-2013.”

BABY FOOD BOOM IN CHINA IS EMPTYINGAUSTRALIAN SUPERMARKET SHELVESSource: Food Navigator Asia, 27-03-2014

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BEVERAGES

HEDONIC EXPECTATIONS: HOW TO DRIVE HEALTHY DRINKS SALES IN CHINASource: Food Navigator Asia, 14-03-2014

The Chinese place more trust in big beverage brands to deliver safe products, link ‘naturalness’ to single-flavor varieties and are increasingly willing to pay more for quality, safety and nutrition.

That’s according to a study published in the Febru-ary 2014 issue of the journal Appetite, which claims to break new ground by looking into how personal values influence Chinese consumers’ healthy bever-age buying decisions, upon the basis of product at-tributes and personal values.

Pui Yee Lee et al. organized six focus groups in Tier 2 city Hangzhou, in Eastern China, where par-ticipants filled in 570 surveys to identify these different factors – they found that food safety was the foremost concern for Chinese choosing healthy drinks.

This keyed into a preference for big brands as guarantors of beverage safe-ty: “I think well-known brands are more trustable as they are large manufactur-ers, have a social responsibility and money to invest in food production,” said one focus group participant.

The authors used the classic 'Four Ps' framework to sum up the marketing implications of their findings, warning that successful Chinese market entry re-quired the correct balance of each.

ProductThe focus groups showed that Chinese con-sumers deem ‘security’ highly important as a value influencing consumption of healthy drinks.

“Food manufacturers could consider using natural ingredient (e.g. natural sweetener, colors, aromas, etc.)…and labelling products accordingly (e.g. addi-tive free),” Yee Lee et al. write.

“Having information about the nutrition labels and composition table (e.g. vitamin content) on the product packaging will increase the chance that Chi-nese consumers would consider these products to be safer for consumption,” they add.

The team also suggest online traceability systems

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that allow consumers to trace the important produc-tion stages and improve their confidence in products. ‘Hedonism’ was another value that the researchers said Chinese consumers appreciate. “Catering to the Chinese consumers’ taste buds is critical to ensure product success in China.

Apart from developing safer, more natural and healthier, food product options…the product must still live up to its hedonic expectations,” Yee Lee et al. said.

PlaceWith "security" the dominant value Chinese con-sumers perceive when buying healthy drinks, the academics said the credibility of the retail outlet in question was “heavily relied upon to confirm that the product is genuinely safe and of premium qual-ity”.

“So in terms of distribution…in China, countries ex-porting food are best to target major supermarket retailers such as foreign (Carrefour and Wal-Mart) and local (Lianhua and Nonggongshang) supermar-kets,” Yee Lee and her colleagues write.

“These major outlets are considered trustable sources that sell quality and safe food products…the product turnover is fast and consumers are able to obtain a food product that is closer to the manufac-turing date, again something that Chinese consum-ers regarded as fresher and safer.”

NEWS FLASH

continued...

PricePrice is no longer the barrier it once was in China, the academics found. “The increasing concern for food safety appears to have changed many Chinese consumers’ minds and they are now turning to more expensive but safer, healthier food products,” they write.

Accordingly, Yee Lee et al. suggest setting import prices 10-30% higher than local brands, given an emerging segment of more affluent consumers “will-ing to pay a modest premium for nutritious, safe and quality food products”.

PromotionGiven that Chinese consumers value security and benevolence, the academics explain that they tend to choose known brands even if they are of a lower quality than other unfamiliar brands.

Yee Lee et al. suggest that advertisements on TV, radio, internet or in print could include images of production facilities, for instance, to show transpar-ency and build trust.

“Given that benevolence is important in relation to Chinese consumers’ food consumption decisions, promotion of healthy drinks should also emphasize that they are natural and can provide health ben-efits to the family – e.g. a healthy drink that can enhance a child’s growth, is good for mum and dad’s heart health”.

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AGRI-FOOD

INTEGRATED LOGISTICS KEY TO PROMOTE AGRI-FOOD EXCHANGE BETWEEN CHINA, ITALYSource: People's Daily, 16-03-2014

The recent launch of a project to export Italian agri-food products to China has developed a model of "integrated logistics" between the two countries that creators said can ease and optimize bilateral exchange.

Chinese logistics company Shanghai Haibo, which is a subsidiary of China's second-largest food group Bright Food, and Shanghai-based incubator and consulting firm Qiaolab signed an agreement at the weekend to create "the first Chinese hub in Italy" in the northern city of Bergamo.

The project, which also has the objective to import Chinese products to Italy in a second phase, was based on an innovative way of working to promote

commercial exchange in a high-potential sector, Qiaolab CEO Alberto Fattori said.

Italian entrepreneurs currently have to find a distrib-utor or a partner in the Chinese market to sell their products in China, often with complex perspectives. "The question was 'how to move products from one to the opposite side of the world more efficiently and put them on the market in a direct way? Our answer was: integrated logistics," Fattori highlighted.

Agri-food products generally travel to China by cargo ship, which only allows exportation of those ones with a long shelf-life. "But most Italian prod-ucts have to be consumed in a short time and need special conservation conditions. Integrate logistics is the model that permits to make distribution and sales plans in advance so that it is also convenient to carry out air transportation," the CEO explained to Xinhua.

He noted that Italian logistics is experienced in managing fresh produce while Chinese logistics has extraordinarily big spaces, which makes their inte-gration a solid system to export the best of Italian produce while assuring top quality. As a result of this simplified process, final prices will also be more adequate.

"Our teams based in China and Italy will work hand in hand," Fattori underlined. Qiaolab will help select, based on quality standards, the Italian companies (around 100 have been chosen so far) and provide them procedural, logistical and commercial assis-tance.

NEWS FLASH

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The new model was welcome by Italian Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forest Policies Maurizio Mar-tina. "The Italian government is willing to encour-age logistics-integration projects between Italy and China," he said after meeting the projects' creators in Bergamo.

Italy's agri-food export has recorded 30-billion-euro (41-billion-U.S. dollar) sales volumes, but the figure has the potential to double, Martina stressed.

The minister said he wished that integrated logis-tics can be a driver to promote more exchange on occasion of the Milan Expo 2015, of which "China will be one of the main protagonists with three ex-traordinary pavilions." The world exposition, sched-uled in Italy for May 1 through Oct. 31 next year, was themed "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life," aimed at raising awareness regarding the hunger challenge.

Shanghai Haibo will make use of its large logistics and distribution structure to make the Italian prod-ucts arrive on China's shelves, President of Shang-hai Haibo and Vice President of Bright Food Group Zhu Hangming said. Bright Food Group has more than 3,300 retail stores and 650 hotels and restau-rants in China.

"Also, thanks to our Internet infrastructure, Italian companies will be able to monitor the quantity and sales information of their products anytime," said Zhu, who visited some agri-food companies in the Mediterranean country at the weekend.

He explained to Xinhua that though there are many valuable agri-food products in Italy, only a few of them are known in China. "Selection of typical, unique products is an important part of our strat-egy to assure long-term penetration in the market. For this reason, intercultural communication plays a fundamental role," he said.

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Embassy of Denmark, ChinaSan Li Tun, 1 Dong Wu Jie 100600, Beijing

For more information please contact:

Marie Louise Flach de NeergaardMinister CounsellorFood, Agriculture and Fisheries

E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +86 10 8532 9987

Peter Christian Binau-HansenCommercial InternFood, Agriculture and Fisheries

E-mail: [email protected]: +86 10 8532 9926

Denmark in Chinakina.um.dk