China steps up mechanism against food waste to ensure food security
New Delhi: China’s top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Thursday said that it will step up efforts to reduce food waste at a meeting on grain saving and prevention of food waste. The NDRC wowed to further improve the mechanism against food waste in the catering industry and revise standards and norms to reduce food waste in a bid to ensure the nation’s food security.
“We will revise the food waste evaluation standards and guidelines for law enforcement and inspection, establish a statistical, monitoring, and evaluation system for grain loss and food waste, launch special campaigns against food waste and promote food conservation in the catering industry, government canteens, schools, enterprises, and households,” the NDRC said.
On the positive impact of this mechanism, the NDRC has stated, “In the first half of the year, initial achievements have been made in curbing food waste, the loss in grain storage has been significantly reduced and the transportation of grain has been constantly optimized,”
China has been clamping down on food waste and adopted a law against food waste last April in a bid to safeguard the country’s food security.
According to the Chinese media report, The law stipulates that catering service providers can charge a disposal fee to customers who leave excessive amounts of food waste but the rates must be clearly displayed. Catering service providers are also required to remind customers of their duty of avoiding food waste. Restaurants found guilty of inducing or misleading behaviors that lead diners to waste food will receive a warning. Serious violators will be fined up to 10,000 yuan ($1,546).
Approximately 18 billion kilograms of food are wasted every year in China’s urban catering industry, says a media report, citing nationwide field research carried out by deputies to the National People’s Congress.
China’s grain production has stabilized at over 650 billion kilograms for seven consecutive years making the country the largest grain producer. However, food waste has been a lingering threat to the country’s food security.
(Vinayak)
