Dai Ping, director of the information center of the municipal agricultural committee, said Shanghai will release the first batch of "traceable" eggs this July, with each package of the eggs having its own identification number. Type the number on a specific website, and one can find out which specific farm the eggs are from.

"When disputes involving quality occur, this information system provides evidence for the settlement of these disputes," said Dai.

"The ultimate aim is to raise the quality awareness of the farmers and ensure the health of the citizens," said Dai.

He said the system would eventually cover pigs, poultry, eggs, milk and vegetables. In the case of vegetables, even the chemical breakdown of the soil of vegetable plots will be recorded.

As for farm produce from areas outside Shanghai, checkpoints have been established at all entry points. Their time of entry, results of inspection by the checkpoints and their destination will all be recorded on the information system.

Dai expressed confidence in public acceptance of the system and products it covered.

He said with ever improving living standards, many Shanghai residents had formed the habit of buying "certified high-quality farm produce" or organic produce, referring to products with low pesticide residue.

"They are a bit expensive, but they are safe. And they are well worth the money," said a shopper at Lianhua Supermarket.

Dai said the information system would provide better guarantee of the quality of the farm produce.

"There's no doubt they'll enjoy a good market", he predicted.

(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2003)