President Hu Jintao urged Party and government officials to ensure that farm produce is safe and strict agricultural standards are enforced at a meeting on Tuesday.

Hu Jintao, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said quality control of farm produce all the way from field and barn to consumers' tables is vitally necessary.

Hu, presiding a working group of members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said applying strict agricultural standards is crucial to ensuring all 1.3 billion Chinese have enough safe food.

After listening to lectures by two experts on agriculture and food science, Hu called for better monitoring of environmental conditions in major farm producing areas.

China must produce more chemical-free produce and green food, Hu said, noting that farmers should be taught to use fertilizers more cautiously and scientifically.

Departments and officials should protect and preserve environmental conditions in major farm producing areas. This concerns everyone's health, Hu said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2007)