China Agri News Week 40, 2020
This is the news overview of week 40 from the agricultural team of the Netherlands Embassy in Beijing.
China approves 42 national food safety standards
On October 13th, China announced the release of 42 compulsory national food safety standards. The release includes the update of eight standards, the formulation of 30 new standards, and the revision of four standards.
In terms of types, the 42 national standards can be divided into; 32 standards for food additives; five determination methods; two food microbiological examination methods; two for experiments; one new standard for logistics. Except for the four revised standards, which came into effect on September 11th earlier this year, others will be effective starting from March 11th, 2021 (source and more information: Chemlinked).
China put measures in place to avoid African horse sickness
There have been an outbreak of the African Horse Sickness (AHS) in Thailand, causing the death of more than 500 horses. And recently, the World Organization for Animal Health also announced that one case had been confirmed in Malaysia. In reaction, the General Administration of Customs China announced several measures to avoid the spread in AHS. According to 2019 statistics, six percent of all the horses worldwide resided in China (source, Chinese only: China Customs).
World’s largest off-season tulip show opened on Chongming Island
During the October National Holiday Season, Oriental International Shanghai Floriculture Industry Development ltd (OISF) launched the world’s largest off-season tulip festival in Miao Village on Chongming Island, Shanghai. Close to 1.8 million tulips bloomed during China’s most important holiday season which lastsed from the first to the eight of October (source: Floral Daily).