Ministry of Commerce of China leads delegation to visit Macao to ensure safe and stable supply of agricultural and sideline products to Macao
As the Chinese New Year is approaching, Li Na, Deputy Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, led a delegation to visit Macao on 16 January for research and studies on the supply of agricultural and sideline products to Macao. The delegation met with Chao Wai Ieng, Chairman of Administration Committee on Municipal Affairs, and Ung Sau Hong, Member of Administration Committee on Municipal Affairs of the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM). Moreover, they carried out site visits of the New Wholesale Market of Macao and the Patane Market to gain an understanding of the conditions of supply of agricultural and sideline products from the Mainland, with the aim of ensuring the stable supply and safe quality of agricultural and sideline products for Macao during the festive period. The members of the delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs and the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province.
According to Deputy Director General Li Na, the Central Government has always attached high importance to the supply of agricultural and sideline products to Macao and has cared for the life of the people in Macao. To fully implement the plans of the Central Government, the relevant authorities, provinces and cities of the Mainland closely cooperate and always place the effective guarantee of the safe and stable supply to the Macao market and the public’s consumption needs at an important position. The relevant authorities of the Central Government and local leaders have established a number of production and processing bases of high standards to ensure that the Macao public can eat safe and reassuring food. Since 2024, the enterprises for supply of agricultural and sideline products to Macao have overcome the impact of unfavourable factors, such as the rise in raising costs and the outbreak of African swine fever, offering a better guarantee of the supply of agricultural and sideline products to Macao. From January to November 2024, the agricultural and sideline products supplied from the Mainland to Macao accumulated to 400,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 9.4%. The supply of live pigs, live cattle, chilled and frozen chicken, staple food, vegetables, fruits, aquatic products, drinking water and other agricultural and sideline products to Macao has maintained a growing trend.
During the stay in Macao, the delegation of Deputy Director General Li Na carried out site visits of the New Wholesale Market of Macao and the Patane Market to gain an understanding of the supply and operation conditions of various products. They also had exchanges with Chao Wai Ieng, Chairman of Administration Committee on Municipal Affairs, and Ung Sau Hong, Member of Administration Committee on Municipal Affairs of IAM, among others, to learn about the needs and conditions of guaranteeing fresh and live supplies on the Macao market, and the multiple measures to further ensure the stable supply of fresh and live supplies to Macao.
As the Chinese New Year is approaching, the Ministry of Commerce has made plans to ensure the stable supply and safe quality of the agricultural and sideline products for Macao during the festive period, including active organisation of sources of goods, activation of contingency plans, strengthening cooperation between departments, and building a solid line of safety, along with other measures for ensuring supply.
IAM is grateful for the strong support from the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs. Over the years, the Macao SAR Government and the Ministry of Commerce have maintained close interactive relationship. With the solid support from the motherland, the food for supply to Macao is always subject to strict control with constant increase in the types of food and sufficient sources of goods, so that the Macao people can enjoy food with ease. In addition, the Macao SAR Government is committed to assisting the trade in developing sources of goods. With the strong support from the Ministry of Commerce, the diversity of products is continuously enriched and the prices of food products in Macao are stabilised. In the future, IAM will continue to strengthen communication and cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs to jointly safeguard the stable supply of fresh and live food products in Macao.
