June 18, 2008

China, Russia expedite efforts to build grain base in border

China's northeast Heilongjiang province and Russia's Far East area are collaborating to build a grain base in the border area.

Officials present during the 19th Harbin Fair for Trade and Economic Cooperation said the partnership is beneficial to both parties as Heilongjiang enjoys advantages in agricultural production and labor while Russia has a vast land to offer.

The area bordering Heilongjiang and the Far East has a rich soil and is favourable to develop eco-agriculture, said Sui Fengfu, Heilongjiang land reclamation bureau director.

Sui said it has been made a priority to strengthen cooperation with Russia, including scientific research, techniques exchanges and agricultural production.

The agricultural cooperation between Heilongjiang and Russia had made remarkable progress, said Sui.

Since 2001, China has been organizing farm managers and enterprise representatives to inspect the border area for agricultural cooperation with Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia needs further cooperation with other countries in developing its agriculture in the Far East and Siberia, due to its insufficient labor force and poor agricultural infrastructure, Jiang Zhenjun, professor with Russian Institute at Heilongjiang University, said.