On November 7, one of the series activities of the Organizing Committee of the first China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as "the Expo") was "China imported food (the first) industry summit and 2018" According to the annual report on China's imported food industry, Ren Hongbin, Assistant Minister of Commerce, said at the conference that in the 20 years from 1997 to 2007, China's imported food achieved an average annual growth rate of 14.6%. In 2017, the total amount of imported food exceeded US $60 billion for the first time, becoming the largest consumer of imported food.

Liu Yuanfa, Dean of School of food, Jiangnan University, said that today, the market opening and liberalization pattern of China's imported food has gradually taken shape, and the industrial development has entered the orbit. At the same time, the quality and safety of imported food is still a common challenge and the focus of integrated development.

The rapid development of import food trade is also reflected in the Import Expo. Among them, there are more than 3600 leading enterprises in the world, including Haimu group and Yifeng group.

Ren Hongbin also revealed to reporters: "the food exhibition area of the Import Expo was originally designed as one exhibition area, and finally became two exhibition areas, which not only reflects the great demand of our country for imported food, but also reflects the great demand of many of our trading partners for exporting food and agricultural products to China. Finally, the Import Expo attracted 1500 people from 120 countries Enterprises of food and agricultural products participated. "

The reporter visited the Fengyi international exhibition area at the Import Expo, and the relevant person in charge introduced to the reporter that Fengyi international brought many kinds of products covering almost all industries of the group. The first is the local brand products produced with imported high-quality raw materials, the second is a wide variety of original imported products, and the third is a variety of raw materials. In Danone exhibition area, Danone brought its dairy products and plant-based products, drinking water and beverages, early life nutrition, medical nutrition and other four fields, and more than 80 products of more than 20 brands appeared.

Guo Kongfeng, chairman and chief executive officer of Fengyi International Group, said: "we will seize the opportunity of expanding opening up, further expand investment and trade cooperation in China, and make our production technology, product quality and health and safety standards reach the world's top level. We will also continue to use the advantages of global layout to deliver high-quality products from these countries to China to meet the needs of the world The Chinese people's demand for imported food. "

Promoting food import and export trade is a win-win thing for both sides, but food safety should also be well controlled. Liu Yuanfa said that in 2017, there were 6631 times and US $69.537 million of food that were not allowed to enter China due to non-compliance with China's laws, regulations and standards, an increase of 253% and 135% respectively over 2011. Although compared with the increase in the total amount of imported food, this growth is not too big, but it still attracts the attention of the government. Liu Yuanfa introduced that with the improvement of China's imported food safety management and supervision system, the ability of imported food safety supervision, prevention and control has been further improved, international cooperation in imported food safety management has been gradually promoted, and imported food safety has been well protected.

"The global collaboration of food science and technology and the construction of international platform are the guarantee for the sustainable development of imported food industry. After the world food science and technology has gone through the stage of food safety assurance characterized by meeting the needs of quantity, it has entered a new era of nutrition and health food manufacturing characterized by meeting the needs of quality, and the extension of the industrial chain of imported food has become inevitable. Therefore, promoting scientific and technological innovation is the focus of the next development of the imported food industry. " Liu Yuanfa stressed.

This was also recognized by the participating food companies. Guo Kongfeng said: "while we continue to expand investment in China, Fengyi international also actively invests in R & D to promote industrial upgrading with science and technology. In 2009, Fengyi global R & D center was established in Shanghai, and about 5% of the group's operating profit was used as R & D investment every year, with the purpose of meeting the growing needs of consumers While high-quality grain and oil products are needed, we should help China transform and upgrade its grain and oil industry through innovation, and help China transform from a big grain producing country to a powerful grain and oil industry country. "

Pascal de Petrini, senior vice president of Danone, also told reporters: "Danone believes that for all people, from birth to old age, diet and nutrition are the key to providing and maintaining health and life. Based on this understanding, Danone continues to promote large-scale R & D investment, and is constantly committed to strengthening the nutritional efficacy of its brands, so as to develop more innovative products. "