China to Establish Security Detecting and Protective System for Agricultural ProductsLiu Jian, vice-minister of Agriculture, said on July 4 that to further strengthen the control and supervision over pesticide remains and comprehensively improve the quality of agricultural products, China would quicken the pace of setting up the security detecting and protective system for agricultural products.Pesticide residues exceeding specified standard will not only impair people's health, but also affect the competitive capacity of China's agricultural products in the international market. The problem has aroused the close attention of State Council leaders as well as the widespread concerns of different social circles. In May this year, the Ministry of Agriculture organized the pesticide verification centers in five provinces and municipalities, namely, Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Shandong and Zhejiang, to conduct sample survey on the residues of 1,293 samples and over 50 vegetable varieties, which revealed that 22 percent were not up to the specified standard. It is said that the Ministry of Agriculture will take effective measures to strengthen the security detection and protection of agricultural products. Ministry of Agriculture is studying formulation of a plan for the establishment of a pesticide residue monitoring system which accords with China's specific national conditions, and setting the standard for the amount of pesticide remains in accordance with international practice. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |