China Agriculture View

Xinjiang is China’s largest cotton production base, the unfavorable factors like warm winter, less snow, low cotton price have led to speculation that Xinjiang will reduce large area of cotton cultivation.

The cotton industry occupies its important position in economic development in Xinjiang, due to several factors including advantages of natural resources. The cotton industry has become the “trump card” industry in Xinjiang’s economy development. In 2003, Xinjiang’s cotton production accounted for 30% of China’s total cotton production. From 1994 to 2004, the cotton yield, total output, and quality measurement all ranked No.1 in China.

Cotton has become a major crop and source of income in Xinjiang. Cotton production helps to increase farmer’s income, and the standard of living in the rural areas. This led to improved economic development and social stability in Xinjiang. Revenue from cotton and related industries accounts for 1/6 of the GDP in Xinjiang.

At the present time, cotton is Xinjiang’s most important cash crop.Environmental conditions in Xinjiang are ideal for cotton cultivation.

Most farmers consider that fertilizer is good for crops that the more the better.Some parts of the world, including much of China, use far too much fertilizer.Farmers in north Chinas use approximately 525 pounds of fertilizer per acre every year.

While the use of synthetic fertilizer has greatly increased agricultural production globally—helping to feed a global population that is not slowing down.Fertilizer runoff has polluted many coastal regions creating “dead zones” where the ocean is starved of oxygen by the influx of nitrogen.

However, there are critics of the ‘green revolution’, who point to the environmental and health impacts of depending on synthetic fertilizer and pesticides.Yet, even places which have drastically—and successfully—scaled back the use of synthetic fertilizers, pollution still remains a major issue.Society may have to face some difficult decisions about modifying food production practices if real and ecologically significant reductions in nitrogen loss to waters are to be achieved.

China’s agricultural policie has been changing despite little change in policy objectives. This  investigates potential implications of recent agriculture policies applied in China, and quantitatively analyzes their impacts on domestic and international commodity markets.

Results from a 42 country partial equilibrium dynamic agricultural simulation model indicate that the effects on international markets are likely to be small with world price impacts of less than one percent. The set of policies partially offset each other in the international market. Results indicate increased returns to farmers and lowering domestic prices to consumers.

China’s producers increase production slightly because of increased input subsidies. Exports are reduced because of applied export tax and decrease in value added tax rebate. Domestic consumer prices would likely decrease by 2 to 4.5 percent in real terms. The lower prices benefits lower income and rural households, and benefit expanding beef, pork, and poultry production in China.

Source: International Association of Agricultural Economists (2009 Conference)

This sounds a little incredible that weed killers can improve the value of a key food crop. This is the first time that scienist report that the use of weed killers in farmers’ fields boosts the nutritional value of an important food a crop.

In the study, Dean Kopsell and colleagues note that farmers grow about 240,000 acres of sweet corn in the United States each year, making it an important food crop.

The scientists exposed several varieties of sweet corn plants to the herbicide mesotrione or a combination of mesotrione and atrazine, another commonly used weed killer, and harvested mature corn 45 days later. Herbicide applications made the corn an even-better source of carotenoids, boosting levels in the mature kernels of some varieties by up to 15 percent. It specifically increased levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, the major carotenoids in sweet corn kernels, which studies have linked to a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration.

China Agriculture Trade Fair would provide exposure to farmers about the latest agri-input products, technologies, farming practices, government schemes, marketing and post harvest management.

Visitors:
Trade operators (Retailers, Wholesalers, importers-exporters), Agricultural Entrepreneurs, Market garden value chain operators, Institutions and associations, Consumers are the target audience.

Exhibitors:
Profile for exhibit include Agro-products: grains, cash crops, fruits & vegetables, seeds, edible oil, dried fruits & nuts, Food & Beverage, frozen foods, canned foods, baby foods, candy, condiment, fruit juices, wines, Agro-Technology, Animal Husbandry & Aquatic, meat products, poultry products, dairy products, fishery products, seafoods, aquaculture products, Agro-input: agrochemical, fertilizer, seed.

Start Date:07-SEP-09     
End Date:11-SEP-09
Address: Changchun Citic International Exhibition Center 100 Huizhan Avenue, Changchun, China
Organizer:
Beijing Regalland Convention & Exhibition Co. Limited
Room No. 438, Jin Ou Building, An Zhen Li Er Qu, Chaoyang, Beijing, China.
Tel:+(86)-(10)-64416542
Fax:+(86)-(10)-64412631

What is organic agriculture?
The term “organic” is defined by law (see “Legal” section below), as opposed to the labels “natural” and “eco-friendly”.Organic agriculture is defined as “an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.

Organic agriculture prohibits the use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides, genetically-modified organisms or synthetic fertilizers. Growth hormones, antibiotics and slaughter by-products are not allowed in organic livestock production. Federal organic rules prohibit the use of sewage sludge (biosolids) or irradiation.

Marketing
Both people own health, as well as the health of the environment, motivates consumers to pay a higher price for organic foods.  According to the Organic Trade Association, the market for organic products has increased by 20% per year for the past 12 years. Organic products are found in mainstream supermarkets as well as specialty natural food stores.

China Organic Agriculture
In the past, farmers have tried to increase yields with modern nitrate-based fertilizers, but this has had damaging side-effects on soil health. ‘The return to more natural farming methods for organic production would allow the land to recover and would be a plus to the environment.Organic production has attracted over the past years an increasing political recognition by the Chinese government for its role in protecting the environment.The China Greenfood Development Centre (CGFDC) was established in 1992 under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture.CGFDC formulates programme, policies and plans for developing Green Food; it also administers the use of the Green Food label and organizes the formulation of the various standards for Green Food.

The benefit of organic food for our health
A growing number of consumers, and especially those dealing with chronic illness, are switching to organic food.Organic foods are a simple way to reduce an individual’s toxin burden of pesticides and food additives, increase their nutrient intake, and perhaps alter their consumption patterns away from less healthy choices.Organic food isn’t a luxury. It’s how food’s supposed to be, and a valuable part of any regimen intended to maintain, improve, or restore health.

Wine is becoming more popular a drink during business meetings.As the alcohol market gets increasingly competitive in China, many Chinese liquor companies are looking to expand market overseas.

The majority of companies going abroad have initialized or plan to begin their overseas development in Southeast Asia, where traditional Chinese alcohol already is very popular. Many also already export to the more developed markets of North America and Europe. 

All respondents plan to export branded products as their main means of developing their overseas presence. A minority of those companies already going abroad are also considering ODI and M&A. Tsingtao Beer, for example, is building a plant in Thailand in order to avoid import duties on beer.

While demand in nearby Asian countries is encouraging a majority of respondents to expand overseas, cultural differences pose a significant challenge to many respondents as they look to enter non-Asian markets, particularly those whose major products are traditional Chinese alcohols. Liquors such as baijiu and huangjiu are very different in taste and smell from beverages traditionally consumed in the West and other parts of the world.

While baijiu and huangjiu may not fly off the shelves worldwide in the near future, demand for traditional Chinese alcohols in neighboring countries will provide respondents with the opportunity to overcome other challenges described above.

Last year, an earthquake happened in the southwest of China. All people of China contributed for the disaster area. But after one year, many people are facing financial problems in rebuilding their homes.

Zhang Ping, minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said some impoverished people could not get bank loans to rebuild their homes because of their tough economic situation and limited incomes.

The official called for forceful measures to ensure the rebuilding of homes for poverty-stricken households and aid to address their financial problems, material and labor shortages.

Other problems found were slow progress in the reconstruction of urban homes, reduced financing capacity of rural financial institutions for small and medium-sized enterprises and shortages of building materials and technical support for the quake-hit region, according to Zhang.

Reconstruction was under way for nearly 2,800 schools and more than 1,500 medical institutions, accounting for more than 75 percent and 60 percent, respectively, of the total.

Nearly 70 percent of students in the quake zone had moved into permanent school buildings and the percentage would rise to 95 by the end of this year, according to the official.

All students in the region would be back in permanent school buildings next March, he said.