China interested in Latvian food

RIGA - Latvian-Chinese agricultural trade volume is rather small, however China is interested in expanding it, especially in regard to Latvia-grown bilberries, fruits, beverages, fish, beef, poultry, eggs and milk products, Chinese Agriculture Vice Minister Niu Dun pointed out after yesterday’s meeting with Latvian Agriculture Minister Laimdota Straujuma.

"We are beginning to work on various procedures to effectively organize bilateral agricultural exports and imports, since China's population is very large and the country cannot satisfy its domestic demand for several agricultural products, therefore it is necessary to import them," emphasized Niu Dun.

Straujuma in turn said that the value of Latvian agricultural exports to China amounts to 6.62 million euros (4.63 million lats) per year, with bilberries constituting 97 percent, while agricultural import from China reaches 8.78 million euros per year, consisting of mostly canned vegetables and fruits, fish, fruits and nuts.