The General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture establishes a national public information service platform for agricultural product markets

In order to implement the spirit of the 2013 Central Document No. 1 on “strengthening and improving the statistical release system for agricultural product information”, and in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Agriculture, it has been decided after study to establish a “national public information service platform for agricultural product markets” based on the China Agricultural Information Network. The relevant matters are hereby notified as follows.

I. Purpose

Sharp fluctuations in agricultural product prices not only harm the interests of producers and consumers, but also easily trigger chain reactions and affect the overall situation of stable economic and social development. In order to better perform the government's functions of economic regulation, market supervision, social management and public services, give play to the positive role of agricultural product market information in guiding production, promoting circulation and stabilizing the market, improve and perfect the authoritative release system for agricultural product information, and explore the establishment of a national public information service platform for agricultural product markets (hereinafter referred to as the “platform”).

II. Main Content

In accordance with the principles of “simple and easy to implement, joint participation, pilot exploration, and gradual improvement”, highlighting key varieties and main producing areas, strengthening mechanism innovation and positive guidance, centering on the two links of production and market, and on the basis of the Ministry of Agriculture's existing information release work, extensively absorbing and utilizing existing specialized agricultural product websites and information service resources, a unified and authoritative agricultural product market information release platform is to be established. The specific content mainly includes four parts:

(1) Daily report on agricultural product market prices. Mainly the daily price data of fresh agricultural products from designated wholesale markets of the Ministry of Agriculture, the national agricultural product wholesale price index, the national “vegetable basket” product wholesale price index, etc.;

(2) Weekly report on agricultural product markets. Mainly the market price changes within one week of important fresh agricultural products such as domestic vegetables, fruits and livestock products, as well as international bulk agricultural products;

(3) Monthly report on analysis of supply and demand situation in agricultural product markets. Mainly monthly reports on domestic and international market situation analysis of 18 important categories including grain, cotton, oil and sugar, meat, eggs and milk, vegetables, and fruits;

(4) Market and industry dynamics of important agricultural products. Mainly gathering information resources from well-known specialized agricultural product websites currently recognized in society and the industry, and through links providing an authoritative release window for specialized websites, so as to achieve the purpose of sharing information and serving production and the market.

III. Working Mechanism

(1) The content of Parts 1, 2 and 3 of the platform shall be provided by the Department of Market and Economic Information of the Ministry of Agriculture together with relevant departments and bureaus within the Ministry, and the Department of Market and Economic Information shall be responsible for information review and release;

(2) The content of Part 4 of the platform shall be provided, operated and maintained by the websites participating in the platform construction, and they shall be responsible for the authenticity of the information they release. Websites intending to participate in the platform construction must have relatively high visibility and influence in the industry, and must be specialized websites for important or distinctive agricultural products in the region or even nationwide. In accordance with the principles of no restriction on the entity and no restriction on varieties, participating websites shall apply on their own, and provincial-level agricultural departments shall be responsible for the review and selection of participating units in their province (region, municipality);

(3) The Department of Market and Economic Information of the Ministry of Agriculture shall implement a dynamic management mechanism for the specialized information websites participating in the platform construction, and each year organize experts to conduct a comprehensive assessment based on factors such as the authority, timeliness, effectiveness and social response of the information released by each website, and make dynamic adjustments, with entries and exits;

(4) The Information Center of the Ministry of Agriculture shall be responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of the platform.

IV. Implementation Steps

(1) The market information offices of provincial-level agricultural departments shall organize the selection and application work for websites participating in the platform construction in their province (municipality, region), and shall submit the application form (see attachment) to the Department of Market and Economic Information of the Ministry of Agriculture before November 30, 2013. The number of websites submitted by each province (municipality, region) shall not exceed 3;

(2) In early December, the Department of Market and Economic Information of the Ministry of Agriculture shall organize relevant units and experts to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the applying websites and determine the list of websites participating in the platform construction;

(3) In late December, the Department of Market and Economic Information of the Ministry of Agriculture shall convene relevant departments and bureaus within the Ministry, the Ministry Information Center and the websites participating in the platform construction for centralized training and discussion, and shall sign the “Commitment Letter for the Construction of the National Public Information Service Platform for Agricultural Product Markets” with the participating websites;

(4) In early 2014, the national public information service platform for agricultural product markets shall be launched for trial operation on the China Agricultural Information Network;

(5) In June 2014, the national public information service platform for agricultural product markets shall be officially operated.

V. Other Relevant Matters

All units are requested to conscientiously organize the application work for platform construction and strictly carry out review work in accordance with relevant regulations on Internet management and industrial and commercial administration. The Department of Market and Economic Information of the Ministry of Agriculture has the final right of interpretation on relevant matters.

Contacts: Li Huishang, Zhao Zhuo

Tel: 010-59191566, 59191532 (fax)

Email: [email protected]

  Attachment: Application Form for Joining the National Public Information Service Platform for Agricultural Product Markets

  Address: http://www.moa.gov.cn/govpublic/SCYJJXXS/201311/P020131118524333407315.doc

  November 6, 2013

Attachment

Application Form for Joining the National Public Information Service Platform for Agricultural Product Markets