Updated: 2006-03-04 09:57
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce Friday announced the official launching of a fund program to promote China's agricultural products exports in 2006.

The ministry said the fund program is designed to help Chinese firms improve agricultural products quality and spur the export of more agricultural products with local features.

The fund program is one of the ministry's three major steps to take this year for expanding China's exports of agricultural products, said the ministry.

Besides the fund program, the ministry will work with the Ministry of Finance this year to select a policy financial institute which will serve domestic agricultural products companies by offering policy-related financial support.

The ministry will take East China's Shandong Province as a trial base for the step.

In addition, the ministry will further improve its public service system for agricultural products exports in China.

The ministry plans to open more professional training this year for domestic firms on new overseas rules relating to food safety.

The ministry also plans to compile 25 export directories and a number of monthly market reports from more than 40 exporting countries this year, so as to offer timely information for domestic companies.

The ministry hopes that these steps will help solve policy problems blocking China's agricultural products exports and try to create a still better environment for domestic agricultural companies in their exporting business.