July 7, 2002	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 25,1423

BEIJING, July 6: China has offered new opportunities to Pakistan to enhance the export of its agro-based products, including rice, wheat, vegetables, fruits, tobacco and raw cotton.

These products enjoy good prospects to attract business in the Chinese market. China, adopting open-up policy after its entry into WTO has reduced its tariff structure, allowing the import of food items.

Many Chinese companies are willing to import food items from Pakistan, official sources told APP here on Saturday. Pakistan fruit particularly mango is in great demand in China.

The businessmen are required to strictly follow the set standards to ensure health (pest freedom), hygiene and purity of agricultural produce for export.

Presently, China has been importing fruits such as apples from France and Australia, organs, papayas and tropical fruits from South East Asian countries. Bananas are coming from Ecuador and other Latin American countries and kiwi fruits are imported from New Zealand.—APP