Beijing is to host the fourth China International Produce Trade Fair in October, a Ministry of Agriculture official announced Thursday.

Zhang Yuxiang, director of the market and economic information bureau, said the fair will be held from October 17 to 21 at the Beijing Agriculture Exhibition Hall.

She made the announcement at a seminar on national agriculture market information in Guiyang, capital of the southwestern Guizhou Province.

The fair will feature booths for local specialties as well as international exhibits.

Statistics show the Ministry of Agriculture provided 52 billion yuan (US$6.5 billion) in financial assistance to nearly 4,300 produce processing enterprises in 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2006)