More than 2,800 food factories in China's rural areas were
demolished after being found to produce fake and substandard
products in the first 10 months of this year, according to China's
market watchdog.
The State Administration for Industry and Commerce said the move
was part of a nationwide crackdown which started in January to
clean up the countryside's food industry.
More than 20,000 tons of substandard food products were taken
off the shelves in rural markets and stores, the administration
said.
About 47,800 food factories without operating licenses were
closed and 3,800 producers had their licenses revoked for not
meeting hygiene or safety standards, it said.
"The campaign has helped impress upon local food producers the
need for certain qualifications and production standards, improved
the market order in the countryside and protected the rights and
interests of rural consumers," said Liu Fan, deputy head of the
administration.
China has intensified quality control checks over urban
manufacturers after poisonous chemicals were found in export goods
like pet food, toys and seafood.
But exerting control over the vast rural markets, many of which
produce food with no quality guarantees often in cramped workshops
scattered all over the countryside, has been more difficult.
From January to October, the administration inspected more than
14,500 food markets and examined more than three million food
business operators in rural areas.
"The administration has urged local markets to improve checks
and quarantine standards before selling a certain type of food and
set up stable links with grain and vegetable farms and other farm
produce bases with good credit," Liu said.
"We hope to spend one to two years clearing the rural food
markets to solve the main problems and greatly increase food
quality," Liu said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 6, 2007)