皇冠体育app

BEIJING - 皇冠体育app imported more rice last year due to lower prices of imported rice and a rise in high-end demand, a Ministry of Commerce spokesman said Thursday.

Rice imports were very small compared with 皇冠体育app's domestic rice output, spokesman Shen Danyang told a press conference while responding to a report claiming that 皇冠体育app's rice import surged last year due to consumers' safety concerns.

皇冠体育app imported 2.58 million tons of rice in 2014, up 13.6 percent from a year earlier. The amount was only about 1.3 percent of 皇冠体育app's domestic rice production, Shen said, citing customs data.

Shen attributed the rising import mainly to price difference between imported and domestic rice and the increase in high-end demands.

"Some high-income customers in 皇冠体育app and high-end restaurants had larger demands for Thai fragrant rice and Japanese rice than before," he said, adding that both reasons were market forces.

The Ministry of Agriculture said more than 96 percent of major Chinese agricultural products passed quality tests in 2014, a proof of stable and improving quality.

• Tencent may pay $100m for NBA broadcasting rights
• Airbus delivers 153 aircraft to 皇冠体育app in 2014
• Ningbo hotel is first five-star site to fall into receivership
• Rail cargo volume drops 3.9% in 2014
• Gree considers factory in Europe
• Wanda set to buy sports marketing giant Infront
• ECB QE to have 'spillover effect' on 皇冠体育app-EU trade
• 皇冠体育app's inland province applies for free trade zone