Business Times 9 Jan 08
98% of its aquatic exports meet standards: minister
(BEIJING) China defended its fish farming industry yesterday, saying that it was making progress in curbing the use of illegal additives such as pesticides, as its food safety record remains in the spotlight.
China has suffered scares over the safety of its food and manufactured products in the last year that highlighted shoddy oversight and prompted many new regulations and clean-up campaigns from the central government.
Vice-Minister of Agriculture Gao Hongbin said that China had made 'encouraging progress'.
'However, regulation of quality and safety of agricultural products is still faced with arduous challenges due to a number of factors. There is still a gap between China's standards and those in other countries,' he told a news conference.
The government has curbed the use of highly toxic pesticides in vegetable production and was making progress in stamping out the use of clenbuterol, a steroid used in pork production that is illegal in China, said Mr Gao.
He also said that the compliance rate for the use of three toxins used in fish production was rising, and he defended China's fish farming against a New York Times piece entitled 'Fishing in Toxic Waters'.
'It is a question of common sense. Do you believe that fish can live in toxic water? Personally, I believe that this report is sensational and misleading,' he said.
The United States said last June that it would disallow Chinese farm-raised seafood imports unless shipments were proven to be free from harmful residues. Mr Gao said that 98 per cent of China's aquatic products exports met standards.
China also wants to assure the millions descending on Beijing for the Olympic Games this August that its food will be of the highest quality.
Mr Gao said: 'With regard to where the food will come from, undoubtedly it will come from China. I will not rule out the possibility that some could be imported from abroad.' - Reuters
China rubbishes 'toxic fish farms' report
Straits Times 9 Jan 08;
Top official slams NYT report on toxic fish farms, says most exports meet health standards
BEIJING - A SENIOR Chinese official yesterday defended China's fish farming industry against a New York Times (NYT) article entitled Farming Fish In Toxic Waters, slamming the report as 'sensational and misleading'.
Vice-Minister of Agriculture Gao Hongbin said that there were many safeguards in place for aquatic products and that at least 98 per cent of China's aquatic exports met standards.
According to the Dec 15 NYT report, China has become the biggest producer and exporter of seafood in the world, but the growth is threatened by two environmental problems: acute water shortages and water supplies contaminated by sewage, industrial waste and agricultural run-off that includes pesticides.
'Farmers have coped with the toxic waters by mixing illegal veterinary drugs and pesticides into fish feed, which helps keep their stocks alive yet leaves poisonous and carcinogenic residues in seafood, posing health threats to consumers,' the NYT said.
Mr Gao said that the compliance rate for the use of three toxins applied in fish production, including malachite green, a possible cancer-causing chemical used to treat fungal infections in fish, was rising.
Defending China's fish farming against the NYT piece, he told a news conference: 'It is a question of common sense. Do you believe that fish can live in toxic water?
'Personally, I believe that this report is sensational and misleading.'
The United States said last June that it would not allow imports of Chinese farm-raised catfish, shrimp and other seafood unless suppliers could prove that shipments were free from harmful residues, including malachite green.
China has suffered a rash of scares over the safety of its food and manufactured products last year, which highlighted shoddy oversight.
A four-month-long national campaign, which began in August last year, to improve the quality of Chinese products has achieved encouraging progress, Mr Gao said.
But he noted that challenges remain.
'We have successfully completed our mission of improving the quality and safety,' he said. 'However, the regulation of quality and safety of agricultural products is still faced with arduous challenges.'
He added: 'There is still a gap between China's standards and those in other countries.'
The vice-minister said that the government has curbed the use of highly toxic pesticides in vegetable production and was making progress in stamping out the use of clenbuterol, a banned feed additive found in pork production.
Special attention will be paid at this August's Beijing Olympics to ensure that products in food markets are 'sufficient in quantity, high in quality, rich in variety and safe to eat', he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture was working with Olympic organisers to ensure food safety during the Games, he added.
The government plans to strengthen product inspection procedures and promote the standardisation of agricultural practices in order to establish standards that meet the needs of consumers as well as international requirements within three to five years.
'Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the food the Chinese people eat is safe,' he said.
REUTERS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
