Being part of a national efforts, the city will step up agriculture-related inspections and impose fines on those who violated the new rules, which aims to ensure contaminant-free food through the entire production cycle, from farming to sales, city officials said.

To this end, the city is outlining a pilot program as part of a national plan unveiled by the Ministry of Agriculture on April 26.

Under the plan, the city's agricultural products are expected to meet all national hygienic and quality standards in three years.

Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Shenzhen were chosen for pilot efforts because of their advanced state of economic development.

(Xinhua News Agency 07/30/2001)