April 3, 2007

Shandong remains China's top agric-products exporter for the 7th year

China's Shandong agric-products export in 2006 continued its rapid upward trend, helping to make it the top agric-product export province for the seventh year running, according to Shandong's Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.

Shandong's agric-export in 2006 reached US$10.6 billion, growing 21.6 percent on-year. This is also the sixth consecutive year that growth has exceeded 20 percent.

The province began to lead the nation in agricultural exports in 2000, when exports exceeded US$3 billion.

In 2006, even as some international importers imposed stricter import requirements, the number of agricultural shipments still grew 13.5 percent. Shipments failing inspections enroute to the US, Japan and EU fell 51.25 percent, 15.2 percent and 30.9 percent respectively.

The rise in exports is attributable to various measures implemented by exporters such as disease control, residue control, quality testing and tracing systems. These measures helped the province's exports overcome the technical barriers imposed by other nations. 

The province also implemented a strict quality control system with inspectors based on-site at the 17 companies licensed to export meat products to the EU, Japan and the US.

By the end of 2006, Shandong's agricultural products were found in 165 countries around the world, bringing employment to 13 million people in the province.