Agriculture official says Chinese people’s diets are not well balanced, contends they need more high-quality proteins, as Beijing looks to beef up the industry
Amid falling prices and stiff competition from imports, China has unveiled plans to bolster the cattle industry – the latest in a series of policies aimed at strengthening key agricultural sectors.
China will step up its beef production and implement a quality-grading system for locally produced beef to promote consumption of high-quality versions of the meat – part of an effort announced by the nation’s top economic planner and nine government departments to boost consumption of farm produce.
A top producer and consumer of agricultural products, China will unleash new consumption potential for a range of diverse, high-quality and differentiated products, while enhancing the appeal of domestic products amid increasing competition from imports, the ministries said in a plan released last week.
“Currently, the nutritional structure of Chinese residents’ diets is still not well balanced, with an insufficient intake of high-quality proteins,” said Jiang Wensheng, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, at a press conference last week. “This leaves significant room for consumption growth.”
