The total vegetable planting area of Shanghai is 110.67 thousand hectares and the general output is 3369.7 thousand tons in 1999. The general amount of vegetable exportation of China is 2.18 million tons in 1999 while the general amount of vegetable exportation of Shanghai is 20 thousand tons. There are more than 13 million residents in Shanghai, with an additional floating population of 3 million. As the biggest vegetable consumption market of all national cities, every year, Shanghai needs 2.4 million tons all sorts of fresh vegetables to consume. However, judging by category, variety, produce quality, processing and packing structure, not only high quality, new kinds of vegetable, but also techniques both of postharvest preservation and of deep processing are still greatly wanted.
Shanghai is also quite lacking in vegetable products meeting the demand of the international market.
Generally speaking, it is very urgent for Shanghai to introduce, to develop vegetables of higher quality and it is also urgent to speed up the setting up program of deep processing. As the host, Shanghai Agricultural Committee here sincerely invites those scholars, researchers, cultivators, managers, equipment manufacturers of deep processing after production from international vegetable science circles to attend this seminar to be held in Shanghai China. Theses, points of view are especially welcomed to be released in this occasion. This should also be a good opportunity for Chinese scholars, researchers, cultivators, managers to be broadly acquainted with their international counterparts, to build up bridge of friendship, to participate in the discussion and communications. This professional seminar will surely be very fruitful and satisfying for every participant.