NANJING: Chinese agricultural product suppliers plan to secure foreign buyers at the third international retailers' sourcing fair, which opens in the city on June 16.

"International retailers will be actively seeking Chinese agricultural product suppliers," Cao Derong, deputy director of the department of market system development under the Ministry of Commerce, said yesterday. "Buyers will be looking for quality and security when they choose their Chinese suppliers, and particularly those that meet the national 'green criteria' (for agricultural products)."

Over 700 specialist buyers and 33 international retail groups from dozens of countries and regions are expected to attend the three-day sourcing fair, run by the commerce ministry and the Jiangsu provincial government. International retail groups already in the Chinese market, such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Best Buy and B&Q, will also participate in the event.

Cao said the commerce ministry and commerce departments of Anhui and Henan provinces have reached a consensus with retailers and manufacturers including Carrefour, Shineway Group, Yili and P&G to help them tap China's rural market, but he declined to elaborate.

Companies from all provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions will showcase their products at over 1,000 booths at the event. Products will range from food and beverages to textiles and electronic equipment.

International buyers and the United Nation's Purchasing Promotion Council will hold briefings for Chinese sellers during the event.

The organizing committee has also invited 3,500 domestic buyers from over 1,000 large-scale distributors and major retailers in Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan and Hebei provinces.