China intensifies crackdown on counterfeit seeds, pesticides

China will intensify a special crackdown on counterfeit seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural materials, according to a statement issued at a working conference on Tuesday.

The campaign, carried out by nine government departments including the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, features "resolutely solving relevant cases, strictly punishing violations in order to safeguard the country's food safety and food security," the statement said.

During several of the MPS's special campaigns launched last year, the police nationwide have solved over 3,000 cases involving counterfeit agricultural materials, arrested more than 5,000 suspects, and closed 4,000 illegal sites for such violations, the statement said.

The MPS also called for cooperative efforts among relevant authorities to strengthen the supervision and investigation of the offenses.

Moreover, further measures should be taken to improve the farmers' risk awareness of counterfeit goods and encourage them to report on such violations, the statement said.

Also on Tuesday, the MPS published 10 typical cases the police had solved related to counterfeit agricultural materials, including two cases each involving over 10 million yuan (1.59 million U.S. dollars) of money, that took place in the provinces of Shandong and Henan, respectively.