The capital city of Northeast China's Liaoning Province will spare no efforts in the next five years to promote the high-tech agriculture industry in its bid to make the city's rural products more competitive in global markets.

An agricultural development zone was recently set up in the eastern part of the city, which covers an area of 150 square kilometers and enjoys fertile soil and is blessed with a sound ecological environment.

With an emphasis on promoting ecological and biological agriculture, the zone will highlight the research and development of high technology and is expected to become an incubation and industrialization base for China's high-tech agricultural industry, according to Jian Biao, director of the zone.

"To input more high technology in the domestic agricultural sector will be crucial to improving the quality of products and lowering the price so as to secure a firm foothold in the world market, as domestic rural products are faced with severe challenges after China's accession into the World Trade Organization," said Jian.

A total of 8 billion yuan (US$963 million) will be put into the zone in the next five years.

Five pillar industries will be established, including the production and processing of cattle and dairy products, poultry raising and processing, organic fertilizer manufacturing and the processing of horticulture and rural products.

The zone has set a goal for the value of its output to reach 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) in 2006, said Jian.

Mayor of Shenyang Chen Zhenggao remarked that the city will take full advantage of its more than 40 universities and scientific research institutes, as well as more than 3,000 professionals and experts in the agricultural sector, to step up construction of the zone.

"We have full confidence that the zone will grow into a base for flowers and food supplies for Northeast China -- and even for Japan and South Korea in the near future," Chen said.

Seven projects have been promoted for domestic and overseas investment, which include the building of a modern animal engineering technology center, a cattle-raising site, an ecological tour zone and a modern water supply plant.

Enterprises there will enjoy preferential policies and conveniences such as exemptions from administrative charges and land leasing fees, said Jian.

(China Daily February 4, 2002)