On Wednesday China's Ministry of Agriculture said in Beijing
that 94.7 percent of vegetables tested in 37 Chinese cities met
international standards in respect of pesticide residue.
The ministry's latest quality research also showed that 99.2
percent of aquatic products tested in eight cities showed they were
free of chloramphenicol, a type of antibiotic, which is banned in
some countries.
Zhang Yuxiang, director of the ministry's Market and Economic
Information Department, said the proportion of vegetables which met
international standards in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Shenzhen
had increased by 29 percent since 2001. The proportion of livestock
products which met the residue standards in the four cities was up
33 percent. ?
"Generally speaking China's agricultural products are good and
safe to eat," said Zhang.
China started regular testing of such products in 2001. The
ministry makes five monitoring and supervision tests annually on
vegetables in 37 cities, livestock products in 22 cities and
aquatic foods in eight cities.
China is facing international challenges over agricultural
products which it is claimed contain too much chemical residue.
Japan imposed stringent new requirements on acceptable levels of
such residues on China's agricultural exports in May. ?
(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2006)