BEIJING, January 28. /TASS/. Russia and China complement each other in agriculture and have good prospects to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in this sphere, the head of China’s Central Rural Work Leading Group, Chen Xiwen, told reporters on Thursday.
"China is the major consumer of agricultural goods in the world. Meanwhile, the average index of fertile lands per citizen in China is some 40% lower than the global level," the Chinese official said at a press conference organized by the State Council.
Russia is a "country with a big potential," he said. "Russia and China have big prospects to develop cooperation in the agricultural sector. First, we are neighbors. Second, our countries complement each other well in the sphere of resources and agricultural goods," the expert said.
Now Russia has a disproportion in the sphere of demand and supply concerning some agricultural goods. "For example, Russia lacks fresh vegetables as this is rather labor-intensive. Quite a lot of Chinese farmers are ready to grow vegetables in Russia and sell them on the Russian market," he said.
Russia may also export to China "a large number of agricultural goods," the official added.
Russia may become big supplier of soybeans to China
Russia has the necessary conditions to become a large exporter of soybeans, the head of China’s Central Rural Work Leading Group went on to say.
"Now China imports soybeans in large amounts. Some 80% of the soybeans consumed in China are supplied from abroad, and the key exporters to China are the United States, Brazil and Argentina," the Chinese official said at a press conference organized by the State Council.
"We also import soybeans from Russia but in small amounts. I believe Russia may become a big manufacturer of soybeans," he said.
"You have large territories, especially in the Far East. Quite many Chinese farmers already grow soybeans in Russia. Russia and China have a big potential of developing cooperation in this area," he said.