Representatives of the Food and Health Bureau and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (May 9) signed a framework agreement with representatives of the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangzhou Municipality and the Guangzhou Customs District on the establishment of a joint meeting mechanism between Guangzhou and Hong Kong in relation to an agricultural project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, in a bid to collaborate and roll out the project. 

     Tying in with the strategic blueprint of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the agricultural project aims to enhance the quality as well as the efficiency and transparency of production, procurement and supply chains of agricultural products to drive agricultural development. This will give additional guarantees for the food safety and quality of vegetables and fruits supplied to the Greater Bay Area and is conducive to quality brand-building for the products.

     The agricultural project advocates the use of technology to strengthen the traceability and transparency of information on agricultural products, expediting information exchanges on food safety in the Greater Bay Area and further enhancing the handling of food safety incidents and monitoring capability.

     At the launching ceremony of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area agricultural project today, the Under Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Chui Tak-yi, and the Controller of the Centre for Food Safety of the FEHD, Dr Ho Yuk-yin, signed the framework agreement. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Chui said that under the project, agricultural food products supplied to the market of the Greater Bay Area have to fulfil the food safety standards of Hong Kong and Macao, so as to provide higher-quality food for consumers in the Greater Bay Area and to an even greater region.

     "With the concerted efforts of all parties concerned, I believe this project would further enhance the diversity and quality of agricultural products in the Greater Bay Area, benefiting the people in the Greater Bay Area including Hong Kong and Macao," Dr Chui said.

     Under the framework agreement, the HKSAR Government will co-ordinate its efforts in the implementation of the agricultural project in the Greater Bay Area and maintain close contacts with the relevant Central Authorities, the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangzhou Municipality and the Guangzhou Customs District on various fronts including food safety standards, information exchanges and agricultural co-operation, as well as give views and support on the project implementation.

Ends/Thursday, May 9, 2019
Issued at HKT 16:00

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