China Warns Farmers to Improve Standards - New York Times
China Warns Farmers to Improve Standards - New York TimesChina Warns Farmers to Improve Standards
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 28, 2005
Filed at 10:47 p.m. ET
SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- China has warned its farmers and food processors that sales to Japan and the European Union are likely to drop unless they can meet new food import standards that go into effect next year.
Japan has adopted a new regulation, to take effect from May 2006, imposing about 50,000 new standards for imported food products. The restrictions set maximum limits for chemical residues, such as pesticides, on foods and produce.
The new EU regulations, effective Jan. 1, raise standards for imported animal products. The complex new rules are expected to limit access to Japanese and the 25-nation EU bloc, China's two biggest export markets for food and agricultural products, the state-run newspaper China Daily reported, citing an unnamed Ministry of Commerce official.
About one-third of China's food exports go to neighboring Japan, with another 10 percent sold to EU countries.
China's vegetable and tea exports to Japan were likely to be most affected, the Ministry of Commerce said in a report on its Web site.
The ministry said it plans to hold training programs to help farmers adapt to the new regulations.
The new Japanese rules will ban many chemical residues that in the past were evaluated for health and safety and allowed by various world regulatory systems, the Commerce Ministry said.
The EU rules, part of a regional reform of food safety laws, will require all imported animal products to carry documents detailing the entire food chain of the product. The new rules also will change animal feed standards, it said.
China's exports of farm products rose 23 percent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2005 to $19.6 billion.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 28, 2005
Filed at 10:47 p.m. ET
SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- China has warned its farmers and food processors that sales to Japan and the European Union are likely to drop unless they can meet new food import standards that go into effect next year.
Japan has adopted a new regulation, to take effect from May 2006, imposing about 50,000 new standards for imported food products. The restrictions set maximum limits for chemical residues, such as pesticides, on foods and produce.
The new EU regulations, effective Jan. 1, raise standards for imported animal products. The complex new rules are expected to limit access to Japanese and the 25-nation EU bloc, China's two biggest export markets for food and agricultural products, the state-run newspaper China Daily reported, citing an unnamed Ministry of Commerce official.
About one-third of China's food exports go to neighboring Japan, with another 10 percent sold to EU countries.
China's vegetable and tea exports to Japan were likely to be most affected, the Ministry of Commerce said in a report on its Web site.
The ministry said it plans to hold training programs to help farmers adapt to the new regulations.
The new Japanese rules will ban many chemical residues that in the past were evaluated for health and safety and allowed by various world regulatory systems, the Commerce Ministry said.
The EU rules, part of a regional reform of food safety laws, will require all imported animal products to carry documents detailing the entire food chain of the product. The new rules also will change animal feed standards, it said.
China's exports of farm products rose 23 percent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2005 to $19.6 billion.
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