Green Food in China

Summary

"Green Food" is a Chinese food production innovation, and has been described as "one of the most successful eco-labelling programs in the world" (Giovannucci, 2005, p.12). Green Food provides a "middle way" between chemical and organic farming. China's development of the Green Food concept resolves issues with both chemical and organic agriculture - for the former by offering reduced pesticide use, and for the latter by providing a stepped pathway for conversion from chemical to organic agriculture while simultaneously providing a Green Food price premium. After nearly two decades of development, Green Food is by now well known to Chinese consumers, and is readily available for retail purchase in China. China has 10 million hectares (150 million mu) of Green Food productive land, with a production of 72 million tons of certified Green Food produce, for a value of US$20.1 billion (150 billion yuan). There are a reported 5315 Green Food enterprises producing 14,339 Green Food products. Green Food achieves a price premium of 10% to 50% in China