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Report
No.240703 |
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- International - |
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China Agrees to Import Rice Produced in Japan Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Toshikatsu Matsuoka held a meeting in Beijing on January 18 with the top official of the quarantine bureau of China, which is responsible for animal and plant quarantine. A basic agreement was reached during the meeting for lifting of the import ban on rice produced in Japan imposed since February 2003 in the wake of revision of the quarantine system there. Japan used to make an annual export shipment of some 10,000 tons of rice to China. In June 2004, Japan asked China that it resumes rice import from Japan. The request has not been favorably responded to on the ground that a species of rice insect, dermestid beetles, might make intrusion from Japan. The epidemic prevention measures basically agreed would mandate fumigation of rice after milling at approved facilities only that meet the requirements such as incursion preventive regime. Details of the standards for approval of facility and methods of fumigation will be worked out so they are finalized in time for a visit of Premier Wen Jiabao of China to Japan in April. Agriculture Minister Matsuoka told press on the same day "I wish resumption of export will be made by July when crops of early season varieties appear on markets. I expect export resumption to China to break the obstructed feeling." The talk with the top quarantine bureau official stretched to cover lifting of Chinese import ban on beef and 10 different kinds of fruits and vegetables from Japan, and on what can be done for Japan to import poultry and procesed poultry products, vegetable and rice straw from China. Both sides agreed to bring them back home for further study. They also confirmed to have regular meetings in the future including the issue of mutual cooperation in the field of animal and plant quarantine. Immediately after becoming Agriculture Minister last autumn, Agriculture Minister Matsuoka listed the promotion of export as his priority and put up the numerical target to increase export of agriculture, forestry and fishery products made in Japan to one trillion yen by 2013. With a growing number of people in the high income bracket, China is a very important market in achieving the target and rice export is seen especially important. |
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