Guangdong, HK, Macao strengthen cooperation in food safety

National quality and safety demonstration zones for exported food and agricultural products in Guangdong

According to the relevant list issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation in 2017, there are nine such demonstration zones in Guangdong province.

Shijie town, Dongguan

Approved as a demonstration zone at the end of 2013, the town mainly provides fresh vegetables to Hong Kong and Macao markets. Through many years of development, it has developed a series of brands of fresh vegetables with more than 80 vegetable varieties.

The town currently exports a daily average of 900 tons of vegetables to Hong Kong and Macao. The annual export volume is more than 300,000 tons with annual export value of $386.5 million, driving domestic employment of 20,000 people.

Taishan county-level city, Jiangmen

Taishan was approved as a national demonstration zone in November 2012. Major exports in the zone are squids for developed countries such as Japan, South Korea and Russia. 

By 2017, the zone generated $640 million in foreign exchange earnings in exports, driving employment for 57,000 people.

Zhanjiang

Zhanjiang was approved as a food quality and safety demonstration zone in November 2011. It is located in the southernmost part of the Chinese mainland and is surrounded by sea on three sides. Its coastline of 1,556 kilometers accounts for 46 percent of Guangdong’s total.

By 2017, the zone achieved $4.1 billion in foreign exchange earnings when exporting South American shrimp series and tilapia products to more than 80 countries and regions including the United States, Japan and Australia.

Yangshan county, Qingyuan

Located in the northwest of Guangdong province and covering 3,373 square kilometers, Yangshan county was approved as a demonstration zone in November 2014. More than 30 kinds of vegetables are planted in the zone, including eggplants, kale, and lettuces.

The zone mainly provides watercress, cabbages and kale to Hong Kong, Macao and some regions in Southeast Asia. In 2017, the foreign exchange earnings reached $70 million, driving employment for more than 50,000 people.

Xinxing county, Yunfu

Xinxing county, in the midwest of Guangdong province, was approved as a national food quality and safety demonstration zone in 2014.

The zone mainly supplies poultry meat to Hong Kong and Macao with average daily sales of 40,000 chickens, accounting for more than 30 percent market share of such products in the region.

Shancheng district, Shanwei

Fishing is the most competitive industry in Shanwei city, which is located on the southeast coast of Guangdong province. Shancheng district in downtown Shanwei was approved as a food demonstration zone in October 2015. 

Aquaculture in the zone covers 27,011 hectares with the major products being shrimps, tilapias and abalones which are exported to regions such as the United States, the European Union and Canada.

By 2017, the foreign exchange earnings in the zone were more than $50 million, creating employment for more than 20,000 people. 

Zhongshan

Zhongshan sits in the center of the Pearl River Delta just next to Hong Kong and Macao. It is the major provider of aquatic and baking products to Hong Kong and Macao.

The aquaculture area in Zhongshan covers 22,667 hectares with annual output of 300,000 tons. About 70 percent of its aquaculture products are exported to Hong Kong and Macao, accounting for 50 percent market share in Hong Kong and 70 percent in Macao. 

Baking products in Zhongshan feature unique culture, health and innovation, winning it a nationwide reputation. By 2017, there were 97 firms producing baking products in Zhongshan with output value of almost 5 billion yuan ($744 million). More than 100 kinds of baking products such as mooncakes, almond cookies and egg rolls are exported to more than 40 countries and regions including the United States, Australia and Hong Kong. The export scale of baking products was worth $32 million in 2016, making up half of the national total and providing 50,000 jobs for local people.

Lianzhou county-level city, Qingyuan

Lianzhou was approved as a food quality and safety demonstration zone in September 2016. Through years of efforts, the vegetable planting area has reached 28,667 hectares, among which the cabbage planting area was 6,667 hectares with output value of more than 1 billion yuan. 

Shunde district, Foshan

Shunde district in Foshan was approved as a food demonstration zone by the State Administration of Market Regulation in September 2016. The floral sector is the district’s pillar industry.

The district is a giant exporter of flowers to more than 80 countries and regions across the world, including South Korea, Japan and middle Asia. In 2016, the value of exported flowers was $42.7 million, an increase of 48 percent year-on-year.