The Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday it expected China to reduce its farm products trade deficit this year.

Li Zhengdong, director of the ministry's international cooperation department, made the prediction at a press conference held in Beijing.

The ministry said that in the first eight months this year, China reported farm products trade volume of US$36.6 billion. Exports topped US$17.5 billion and imports reached US$19 billion.

In 2004, agricultural products trade volume stood at US$51.4 billion, with a record deficit of US$4.6 billion.

Li said that last year China faced supply shortfalls for some major agricultural products, like grain and cotton, which led to increased imports. At the same time, poultry and livestock exports slipped because of the outbreak of bird flu and other diseases. Trade barriers set up by some countries also reduced China's agricultural exports.

Li said China is a major producer and consumer of agricultural products, and that a deficit and some fluctuations in farm produce trade is normal, but that it should curb fluctuations within an appropriate range.

Zhang Yuxiang, director of the ministry's market supervision department, said the latest inspection reports have found farm products to be generally safe.

The ministry launched three regular checks this year, she said, and according to them pesticide residues in 94.2 percent of vegetables, 97.8 percent of lean livestock meat and 96.2 percent of aquaculture products met standards.

Zhang admitted there were still some problems in quality control and that the ministry needed to pursue its efforts in this regard.

She also said the ministry had finished drafting the law on farm products quality control, and had submitted it to other government departments for deliberation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2005)