Carrefour, the world's second largest supermarket chain, opened its first direct procurement center in Shanghai, said a public relations manager surnamed Li at Carrefour in Shanghai. The new base will mainly purchase agricultural products.

Luo Guowei, president of Carrefour China, said direct procurement enables Carrefour to bypass wholesales, reducing costs and benefiting farmers who supply the supermarket.

Carrefour plans to do the same throughout China and build another direct procurement center in Beijing before long.

(China Daily July 20, 2007)