China is expected to reduce its farm products trade deficit this year, according to an official from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Li Zhengdong, director in charge of the ministry's international cooperation department, made the prediction at a press conference held here Tuesday.

Statistics from the ministry show that in the first eight months this year, China reported a farm products trade volume of 36.6 billion US dollars. Exports topped 17.5 billion US dollars and imports reached 19 billion US dollars.

In 2004, the country's agricultural products trade volume stood at 51.4 billion US dollars, with a record deficit of 4.6 billion US dollars.

Li said that China last year faced supply shortfall for some major agricultural products, like grain and cotton, which led to increased imports. At the same time, the country's poultry and livestock exports slipped back because of the birdflu outbreak and other animal diseases. Trade barriers set up by some countries also reduced China's agricultural exports, said Li.

Li noted that China is a major producer and consumer of agricultural products, and that a deficit and some fluctuations in farm produce trade is normal. But China should curb the fluctuations within an appropriate range, said Li.

Source: Xinhua