China Becomes World's Top Fruit, Vegetable Producer

International Fruit, Vegetables Fair Held in East China

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China has become the world's largest center for fruit and vegetable production, said a senior official at an international fruit and vegetable forum held Thursday in Xiamen.

Song Jian, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that China will attach greater importance to developing the fruit and vegetable industry in the years ahead so as to improve its agricultural product mix.

Statistics show that in 2000 China's fruit growing area and production reached 8.67 million hectares and 62.37 million tons, accounting for 18 percent and 13 percent of the world total respectively.

Meanwhile, China's vegetable growing area and production amounted to 14.67 million hectares and 440 million tons, accounting for 35 percent and 66 percent of the world total respectively.

Song, also president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that China's labor-intensive fruit and vegetable industry will have a sharp competitive edge over its foreign counterparts after the country enters the World Trade Organization.

He called for efforts to upgrade the fruit and vegetable processing sector and said foreign businessmen are welcome to enter China's flourishing fruit and vegetable market.