Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä to visit China
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä will visit Shanghai and Beijing on 15-18 May. The aim of the joint visit by the government and business representatives is to promote Finnish food and wood exports and Finnish-Chinese water cooperation.
In Shanghai Minister Leppä will visit the SIAL Food Innovation Exhibition and Finland’s country stand presented by Food from Finland, showcasing Finnish companies that produce high value-added foods. Present at the exhibition are Apetit, Linkosuon Leipomo, Fazer Confectionery, Fazer Mills, Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas, Lasso Drinks, Raisio, Santa Water Group, Stadin Brewing Company and Vanajan Keksit. Finland’s stand was produced as part of the Food from Finland export promotion programme funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In addition, Food from Finland organises an extensive networking event for potential Chinese buyers. In Shanghai Minister Leppä also participates in the opening of Valio’s office, also aimed to promote Finnish food exports to China.
In Beijing Minister Leppä negotiates with Chinese government representatives about food export licences and food safety. Minister Leppä will also participate in a Finnish-Chinese wood forum, where companies in the wood processing and construction sector search new markets. The aim is to increase the export of high value-added products to China. Of the companies participating in the Wood from Finland programme present at the wood forum are Arborealis, ER-Saha, HASA, Iisveden Metsä, Keitele Wood Products, Kuhmo, Lunawood, Luvian Saha, Multian Saha, Pölkky, Sahakuutio, SWM-Wood and Versowood.
”Finnish food exports are increasing and growth is sought in China as well. This is also one of the Government’s key projects. Exports of sawn goods to China have grown quite dramatically and China is one of the most important destinations for our exports in this sector, but now we also wish to focus more on high value-added products”, Minister Jari Leppä says.
On the agenda of the meeting at the Ministry of Water Resources of China is the continuation and further strengthening of water cooperation between Finland and China and between the EU and China. Finland and China already have close cooperation in the water sector, and Finland has adopted a significant role in the EU-China cooperation as well. The European Secretariat of the China-Europe Water Platform is hosted by Finland in 2018-2019.
Finland and China are also discussing deeper cooperation in research and between companies. Cooperation projects are underway for products such as oats and dairy products and on the utilisation of biomass.
In the Finnish delegation there are also representatives from the Finnish Food Safety Authority and Natural Resources Institute Finland.
SIAL Food Innovation Exhibition in Shanghai 16-18 May 2018 http://www.sialchina.com
Inquiries:
Risto Lahti, Special Adviser to the Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry + 358 50 565 0424
Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, tel. +358 40 029 1910
Esa Wrang, Head of Industry, Food from Finland, Business Finland, tel. +358 40 024 3076
Jyrki Mantere, Program Manager, Wood from Finland, Business Finland, tel. +358 46 9229 751
