Currently, the No.10 order of the Ministry of Commerce in 2008 is printed and distributed to declare that the Measures on Report and Information Release concerning the Primary Agricultural Products (Trail) shall officially come into force on August 1, 2008. In order to facilitate the understanding thereof, particularly help the related enterprises to make the preparations, we interviewed the chief of the department of foreign trade.

1. Question: What's the background for the Ministry of Commerce's issue of the Measures on Report and Information Release concerning the Primary Agricultural Products (Trail)?
Answer: The measures are made to meet the demands from the home enterprises and the innovation for the management mode of the foreign trade. Since China's WTO transition period is completed, the agricultural products with the tariff quota are further decreased. As facing the completely open farm product market, the current viewpoints and management mode for the innovation shall be urgently changed. In the last few years, the international farm product market experienced frequent changes. Also, for the import & export practice, some Chinese enterprises lacked the relevant experiences and information, so as to cause the blindly ordering and importing. Thus, great loss occurred due to the change of the international market. Meanwhile, a lot of international trade disputes were raised, so as to waste a lot of labor, material resources and time. Many small and medium-sized enterprises suffered from bankruptcy, merger and reorganization. In June, 2006, the monthly import of soy bean reached the historical record of 3.67 million tons. Due to the unduly import, the unloading is quite difficult in Guangzhou port. In this case, the enterprises have to pay the heavy demurrage charge. In addition, the enterprises have to sell the soybean meal at a low price owing to the arrival thereof at the same time, so as to cause the great loss. Therefore, many enterprises asked the government and the chamber of commerce to strengthen the related guidance and launch the agricultural products-related information release channel which is centralized, authoritative and accurate.

2. Question: Question: What's the purpose and significance of issuing the Measures on Report and Information Release concerning the Primary Agricultural Products (Trail)?
Answer: Purpose of the measures: 1. the information service could be offered to the enterprises timely, completely and accurately, so as to decrease the blindness of the import. 2. Basis could be available for the macro-decision making or of the governmental department. 3. The government's functions could be changed from the management to both the management and service. 4. Improving the cohesive strength and the self-discipline of the industry.

Significance of the measures: 1. As the innovation of China's management mode for foreign trade, it reflects the change of governmental functions. 2. The importers could be helped to master the overall conditions of the market and enhance the ability to analyze, judge and grasp the market, so as to adjust the import rhythm properly as well as avoid the unduly arrival and the market risk. 3. The information is from the enterprises and services the enterprises, so as to realize the information-sharing. 4. The government is boosted to strengthen the macro-control of the market, so as to stimulate the healthy development of the industry.

3. Question: Could you make a brief introduction on the formulation of the measures?
Answer: In the course of working out the Measures on Report and Information Release concerning the Primary Agricultural Products (Trail), we widely asked the opinions from the relevant departments, the diplomatic corps in WTO and the competent authorities for the commerce in various regions as well as held two seminars for the top 10 importers from both home and abroad. Also, in November, 2006, the exposure draft was disclosed by the website of the Ministry of Commerce. In June, 2007, the revision thereof was against released for the opinions from the public. Meanwhile, the industry specialists were invited for discussing the modification thereof. In addition, we took the suggestions from the embassies of USA, Brazil and Argentina in China one after another. Based on the exposure draft and revision, we further improve the measures and modification hereof, including the protection of the enterprises' business secret, so that such requirements as the report of the enterprises’ contract amount is deleted.

In the course of the formulation, we pay attention to the principles as below: I. The enterprise's actual demands are taken into account; II. Simplify the procedures for the foreign trade operators; III. The business secret of the foreign trade operator shall be protected; IV. Authenticity of the reported data shall be guaranteed; V. The advanced methods from foreign countries shall be used for reference.