Various pollution-free organic produce now makes up 20 percent of edible agricultural products on China's markets, according to sources at the ongoing National Working Conference on Pollution-free and Green Food.

Statistics released during the meeting showed in China there are a total of 23,636 certified pollution-free agricultural products, 4,615 manufacturers producing 12,868 kinds of certified green food, and 520 manufacturers producing 2,278 kinds of certified organic food.

Ma Aiguo, director of the Center for Agri-food Quality and Safety, said at the meeting that China will certify another 20,000 kinds of pollution-free farm produce, green food and organic food during the 11th Five-year Plan period (2006-10) and increase their share in all of the agricultural products on the market to 35 percent.

At present, agricultural products in China labeled pollution-free, green, or organic produce should meet different quality standards. The Chinese pollution-free farm produce should meet domestic standards for food and scientific and rational use of chemical compounds is allowed.

Green food is categorized into AA level and A level, whose quality standards should meet standards set by Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization, and the use of chemical compounds and other poisonous materials are restricted or forbidden.

Organic food should meet the basic standards set by the European Union and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM), which completely prohibits any use of chemical substance during agricultural production or the use of genetic engineering technologies.

Ma said, the pollution-free farm produce guarantees food safety, the green food will be developed into safe food with top-notch quality and the organic agricultural products will be mainly developed to satisfy personalized demands in domestic market and foreign demands.

The promotion of the pollution-free, green, organic produce will help to meet the diversified public demands for healthy food and stimulate the farmers to improve agricultural production process in China, Ma added.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2007)