Zhongshan fish supplied to Hong Kong and Macao go on the market after "slimming" and taste great
Original title: 8 enterprises are expected to be rated among Guangdong's first batch of agricultural product export demonstration bases
Fish supplied to Hong Kong and Macao are "slimmed down" before going on the market
Zhongshan is one of the aquatic product breeding bases supplying Hong Kong and Macao. Photo by Wang Yun, Nanfang Daily reporter
"When the fish are raised to a marketable size, because the flesh is still a bit too fatty, they need to be 'slimmed down' in the final month. Many Hong Kong and Macao consumers have already grown accustomed to our breeding method, which is also a fairly Zhongshan-specific method." Mr. Ou, the person in charge of breeding base management at Zhongshan Foodstuffs & Aquatic Products Import and Export Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Zhongshan Shuichu Group"), explained that this "slimming" process is called "refined farming" in the industry, that is, in the final month before pond fish go on the market, the water is changed frequently, more grass is used, and feed is reduced, so that the fish flesh becomes firmer and the flavor more delicious, while also improving quality.
On the 5th, the author learned from the Zhongshan Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau that 8 export agricultural product demonstration bases, including the Tanzhou Aquaculture Farm and the Pujin Aquaculture Farm under Zhongshan Shuichu Group, passed the review and certification organized by the Provincial Department of Agriculture, the Department of Forestry, the Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Bureau and the Provincial Oceanic and Fishery Administration, becoming the first batch of Guangdong agricultural product export demonstration bases. Zhongshan ranked fourth among prefecture-level cities in the province in the number certified.
Three inspection hurdles ensure the quality and safety of export products
"Before aquatic products go on the market, they must pass three inspection hurdles. To ensure the quality and safety of export products, we have adopted multi-level and all-round measures," Mr. Ou said.
According to Mr. Ou, the first inspection hurdle is the testing of fry. Before fry enter the ponds for breeding, the Oceanic and Fishery Administration and the inspection and quarantine authorities conduct regular sampling inspections of the fry; the second inspection hurdle is full-process monitoring during breeding. After the fry enter the breeding farm, Shuichu Group continuously conducts sampling inspections and monitoring of the ponds, and supervises the farm to breed in a pollution-free manner; the third inspection hurdle is before the products go on the market, when the inspection and quarantine authorities also conduct strict random inspections.
In addition, to ensure the quality and safety of exported pond fish, the Zhongshan Inspection and Quarantine Bureau implements full-process tracking and monitoring of fry sources, fishery drug use, feed quality and so on. Before each batch of pond fish is exported, testing begins 7 days in advance, with dozens of test items. At the same time, the entire export transport process for pond fish is managed with seals to avoid cross-contamination.
Shuichu Group's Pujin Aquaculture Farm is located by the Danan River in Pujin Village, Gangkou Town, Zhongshan City, and is also one of the bases selected in this first batch of Guangdong agricultural product export demonstration bases. According to the introduction, the base adopts a polyculture model of grass carp, bighead carp and mud carp, producing 3,000 tons per year of Baoping-brand freshwater fish such as grass carp and bighead carp, mainly supplying the Hong Kong and Macao markets. Since the farm began exporting products, there have been no food quality and safety accidents, and it has won a relatively stable customer base with stable quality.
"In 2011, we successively introduced the aquatic animal disease remote consultation system and the aquatic product quality traceability information system platform. Among them, the latter also won the first prize of the 2011 Zhongshan Science and Technology Progress Award," Mr. Ou said. The aquatic animal disease remote consultation system is networked with the Guangdong Provincial Oceanic and Fishery Administration. After fish are dissected on site at the farm, the resulting data and information can be transmitted via the network to provincial bureau experts to promptly solve disease problems; while the aquatic product quality traceability information system platform has achieved full-process tracking of fish products. "In the past, data and information from seedling breeding to farming and then to market were recorded on paper. Now they are directly entered into computers through a terminal system, and QR code labels are attached before going on the market. Consumers can scan the QR code to learn relevant information such as the origin, production time and breeding process of the fish."
Live fish supplied by Zhongshan to Hong Kong account for 70% of the Hong Kong market
This time, a total of 8 agricultural product bases in Zhongshan were rated among the first batch of Guangdong agricultural product export demonstration bases. In addition to the Tanzhou Aquaculture Farm and the Pujin Aquaculture Farm, they also include the Zhongshan planting base of Guangzhou Binfen Horticulture Co., Ltd., the Baishi Branch of Zhongshan Shiqi Pigeon Breeding Co., Ltd., Zhongshan Baishi Chicken Farm Co., Ltd., the Minzhong breeding farm of Zhongshan Wantong Frozen Food Co., Ltd., the Happy Farm of Guangdong Zhongshan Foodstuffs Import and Export Co., Ltd., and Zhongshan Dacheng Frozen Food Co., Ltd.
"That Zhongshan can have 8 enterprises and bases selected in the first batch of Guangdong provincial agricultural product export demonstration bases shows to a certain extent that Zhongshan's agricultural products are of good quality and their quality is guaranteed. This is closely related to Zhongshan's geographical environment and locational advantages," believed Sun Jian, assistant dean of the Zhongshan Branch of the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences. Zhongshan is located in the hinterland of the Pearl River Delta, adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, and is relatively rich in agricultural product resources. Its agricultural product exports are quite distinctive, including live fish, aquatic products, live livestock and poultry, fresh vegetables, flowers and nursery stock, and so on. As early as 2013, it built a national-level export food and agricultural product quality and safety demonstration zone - the Zhongshan Quality and Safety Demonstration Zone for Aquatic Products Supplied to Hong Kong and Macao. Good conditions such as abundant water system resources and convenient transportation have made Zhongshan the largest aquatic product breeding base supplying Hong Kong and Macao in the country, with export volume accounting for 40% of the Hong Kong market and 70% of the Macao market. According to the Zhongshan Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, at present, live fish supplied by Zhongshan to Hong Kong account for 70% of the Hong Kong market, and the export volume of live poultry and vegetables supplied to Macao ranks first in Guangdong.
It is understood that in recent years Zhongshan has attached great importance to the construction of export-oriented agricultural carriers, and, in line with the characteristics of industrial distribution and the advantages of distinctive resources, has promoted an export-oriented, standardized, large-scale and regulated development model. After more than 2 years of development, the demonstration and driving function of the quality and safety demonstration zone for aquatic products supplied to Hong Kong and Macao has been further enhanced, the scale of bases has expanded noticeably, the quality of export agricultural products has improved noticeably, and the effect of driving income growth has been obvious. In 2015, the Zhongshan jurisdiction exported 65,219 batches of agricultural products, with a value of 470 million US dollars, and there were 73 export agricultural product record-filing (registered) production enterprises and breeding bases.
Some industry insiders believe that this time Zhongshan's 8 enterprises becoming the first batch of Guangdong provincial export agricultural product demonstration bases will further raise the quality and safety management level of Zhongshan's export agricultural products, promote the brand building of Zhongshan agricultural products, form a combined force of export agricultural product demonstration zones and demonstration bases, and drive Zhongshan's agricultural transformation and upgrading and healthy sustainable development. "In pigeon breeding and disease prevention, we have long been at the leading level nationwide. Being selected as a provincial-level export agricultural product demonstration base is conducive to enhancing brand awareness and, while consolidating the Hong Kong and Macao markets, further opening up the domestic market," said Li Zhengsheng, general manager of Zhongshan Shiqi Pigeon Breeding Co., Ltd.
■ Sample observation
Happy Farm of Guangdong Zhongshan Foodstuffs Import and Export Co., Ltd.:
Equipped with rapid testing devices, harvesting only after standards are met
"Two rapid agricultural product testing devices have been added to the farm, with dedicated personnel assigned to operate them. All agricultural products must be tested in advance and can only be harvested and sold after meeting the qualification standards," said Xie Chuanliang, deputy farm manager of Happy Farm of Guangdong Zhongshan Foodstuffs Import and Export Co., Ltd.
As a "Guangdong Provincial Vegetable Basket Base" and a "Zhongshan Safe Vegetable Production Base," Happy Farm has considerable experience in ensuring the quality and safety of agricultural products. On the 5th, the reporter learned from the Guangdong Agricultural Information Network that the farm is expected to be rated as a "Guangdong Provincial Agricultural Product Export Demonstration Base."
During the reporter's telephone interview, Xie Chuanliang had already learned the good news and, though delighted, was not too surprised. "In Zhongshan, we really do have our own advantages and characteristics." Xie Chuanliang introduced that the total area of the Happy Farm base reaches 2,000 mu, with an actual planting area of more than 1,600 mu. The farm mainly grows vegetables and melons and fruits, among which choy sum and Chinese kale have the largest area, totaling 600 mu. Last year the farm's output was about 7,000 tons, of which 30%-40% was used to supply the Hong Kong and Macao markets. At the same time, Happy Farm has a superior geographical environment, located within the Hengmen Mangrove Ecological Protection Area in Nanlang Town, with fertile soil.