Regulation and Policy 

China Revises the Grain Quality Standards (August 15, 1999) 

China' s State Bureau of Quality and Technology Supervision (SBQTS), State Bureau of Grain Reserves and Ministry of Agriculture are jointly revising the quality standards for wheat, paddy rice and maize. The new quality standards are expected to be released in late September. 

It is learned that the revised standards will have six categories: "wheat", "quality wheat", "paddy rice", "quality paddy rice", "maize", and "quality maize".  SBQTS has organized a revision drafting group consisting of agronomists from main grain producing and marketing areas. 

Officials of SBQTS disclosed that the new grain standards will enlarge price differences according to grain quality. 

China produces 480-500 million tons of grain annually at the present and the supply and demand are basically balanced.