China issued its first official guide on the export of agricultural products Friday in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.
  
Yu Guangzhou, Vice-Minister of Commerce, said that the guide was issued to provide agricultural products exporters information on the international market.
  
The vice minister added that most Chinese farming products exporters are new hands in exportation and are not well informed about the international market and are therefore at a disadvantage.
 
Noting that the world market of farming products is constantly changing due to frequent adjustments of international trade policies, Yu said timely and smooth access to information on world agricultural production and market becomes crucial for exporters' survival and success in international competition.
  
"We hope the guide can help solve the problem of information shortage to Chinese exporters of farming products," Yu said.
  
The guide issued Friday is on the markets in Japan, the Republic of Korea, France and Netherlands. Exporters can get the guide book for free.
  
The compiling work on the markets of the United States, the European Union and some other emerging markets is under way, Yu said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2004)