A preparatory meeting was recently held in Beijing for the 18th China Green Food Expo, marking the beginning of preparations in Baotou, the host city of the expo, reports Inner Mongolia Daily.

The five-day expo will take place at the Baotou International Convention and Exhibition Center on Aug 18.

Initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture in 1990, the China Green Food Expo is one of the largest and most professional green food gatherings in China. The expo aims to showcase the latest developments in agricultural products, with a focus on organic and natural foods, whilst boosting trade and development.

Baotou, the largest city of North China’ Inner Mongolia autonomous region, began its application process back in early 2015 by inviting officials of the Agriculture Ministry to come take a look at the city’s facilities and to offer suggestions on its green agricultural development. They also asked the leaders of 36 green good centers across the country to share their thoughts and exchange views.

Baotou is the first prefecture-level city in China to host the expo.

A total of 15 businesses from Baotou, focusing on the production and processing of organic and natural foods, attended the 17th China Green Food Expo, which was held in Changchun, Jilin province, on Sept 5, 2016.